


Blush Blush

by leonheart2012



Category: Blush Blush (Video Game)
Genre: Boys Kissing, F/M, M/M, Open Gender Reader, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2020-01-23 12:56:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 45,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18550207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leonheart2012/pseuds/leonheart2012
Summary: This is basically just the fan book of Blush Blush. All the cute boys without the patience, all the dates without the endless clicking, all the story without the download of Steam.I'm not sure how long this can go before the next update is released with the new boys, but we'll see. I'll try to get the characters as close to their in-game personalities as possible, but it might get a bit divergent because of creative liscence and stuff, but for the authentic experience, you should definitely go and play it. (It's really good, if you don't mind waiting around for a long time.)You are just starting out at your new job, and the few instructions you've been given involve one particularly strange one; don't confuse the two water carts, and don't touch the one that you don't usually use. Unfortunately, one day, you mix them up, and start handing out bottles from the wrong cart. Then, all the boys in the park start turning into animals! Whatever can you do about it?





	1. Days 1-5

**Author's Note:**

> Of course, all credit should go to the people at Sad Panda game development. They did an awesome job on this game, and deserve all the love you can shoot their way.  
> I hope you all enjoy this <3

Day 1

 

 _A new day!_ You think, entering the office at the zoo. You’ve only had this job for a few days, but already, you’re enjoying it. _Of course, that has nothing to do with the cute boys who are regular visitors…_

You sigh and slip into the seat, taking a look at your phone before your shift starts. It’s not a bad job, really; stand under the umbrella and hand out water bottles to everyone who comes through the front gates. It seems odd, but there’s another, identical cart to the one you’re supposed to use that you’ve been told not to touch. You’re kind of curious, but you’re also...scared?

 _I’m sure it’s nothing…_ you think nervously, wheeling the cart out from the storage unit.

You breathe a heavy sigh. The gates are opening, and you’re not at your station yet, so you hurry there as quickly as you can, setting up just in time.

 _Finally_ , you think, handing out the first bottles. You heft one suspiciously. It must be your imagination, but it feels heavier than all the days previous.

A screech distracts you – it came from a visitor, who is looking at a wolf in horror. It bounds away, but right before your eyes, another visitor turns into a rabbit in a puff of smoke and sparkles. You turn back to your cart with dread pooling in your stomach. There’s a yellowing sign hanging off it, barely held in place with a single, flimsy piece of tape.

With shaking fingers, you smooth out the sign.

_**CURSED WATER – DO NOT DRINK** _

_Oh no...oh no! What do I do?_ Trying not to panic, you look all around the cart for instructions. Maybe someone left a pamphlet or something on what to do if it was drunk?

You find nothing, but a fairy pops into your field of view.

“Hi,” she says cheerfully. “I see you’re having some trouble. Would you like some help?”

“Oh, yes! Yes, please!”

“Well, this is the first time someone’s actually done this, but I was told that, if someone should drink the water, all they would need to do to get back is to fall in love.”

“S...so I have to...” You swallow, looking at the patrons who are now running around the park in animal form. “I have to make all these boys fall in love with me? How am I supposed to do that!?”

“Don’t worry! I’ll help you.” She points to the boy who turned into a rabbit. “See the things hovering over his head?”

You squint, and are surprised to see two little bars with what looks like quest requirements hanging in midair over his head. “What...what is that?”

“Well, that’s his desires. He wants someone to spend some time with him to calm him down, and he wants a refund. Do you have enough to give him that?”

You pull out your wallet, despite knowing that the most you'll find in there is dust. A spider crawls out, as if for comedic effect. You groan. “Where am I going to get enough money? I don’t have fifty dollars just lying around!”

“Don’t worry!” She insists, hovering in front of you. “Follow me.”

She takes you to a run-down seamstress shop. “I don’t know how to sew.” You protest weakly, but she shakes her head.

“I’ll teach you, silly.” She hands you a needle already threaded and some cloth. “We’ll get to the sewing machines later. For now, start work on embroidering.”

 

Hours later, your fingers are sore, but you feel much more confident in your sewing ability and you have a stack of cash, totalling sixty dollars.

“Well, this isn’t much...” You say with a pout.

“Yes, but you’ll get more when you get better. Besides, this is only the first of many jobs. Now, we just have to get to know the rabbit boy.”

You approach carefully, your knowledge of rabbits telling you that they’re easily scared. “Um...h-hi...” You say timidly.

He turns to you with wide, sad eyes, and you feel your heart melt.

“I...I’m sorry, but it’s my fault you’re this way...I wanted to apologise and give you this.” As you hand him the money, the dollar sign disappears from above his head, and the purple stuff in the bar hovering above his head inches towards the right, filling up slightly. “I know it’s not much, but maybe it’ll compensate a little for...you know...”

“Oh! Th-thank you!” He says, startling you. You honestly hadn’t expected him to be able to speak. “I really appreciate you trying to help. Everyone else has just petted me!”

You blush; you’d been thinking of doing the exact same thing. “W...well, you _are_ very cute.”

Impossibly, the rabbit boy blushes, too. “O...oh. Thank you.” He hops closer. “My name’s Nimh. It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too, Nimh. My name’s (Y/N).”

“That’s a really nice name.” He hops even closer and blinks at you. “So...I’ve been turned into a rabbit. Which is...definitely new.” He looks down at himself, and guilt twists at your stomach. It must show on your face, because he’s quick to add; “May as well look on the bright side though, right? I can scratch my face with my foot now! It...wasn’t really high on the priority list before, but it was probably on there somewhere.”

You laugh, feeling your guilt slip away a little. “Well, if it makes you feel any better, it was an accident. There’s a cart that was full of cursed water that I...accidentally handed out to everyone.”

“Cursed water?” He asks.

“Yeah. I’m not exactly sure what will make you all turn back, but I’ll do everything I can to make it better.”

“So I guess magic exists...” He says thoughtfully. “Well, that really is a shocker. But I’m glad you’re helping. You’re really nice.”

You feel your face heat in a blush.

His nose twitches just before a rustle in the bushes makes him leap feet away from you. “Sorry.” He says when he sees your startled expression. “I’m just really jumpy since I’ve been turned into a rabbit. Of course, I was kind of always a little anxious, but it’s really gone off the charts...say, do you think me being jumpy makes me a good rabbit or a bad rabbit?”

“I think that’s pretty standard for rabbits.” You reply, and he seems to relax with that piece of information.

“You’re probably right. So, what do we have to do to lift the curse?”

You offer him an apologetic shrug. “The instructions weren’t exactly clear, but I think we just have to spend time together.”

He looks sceptical. “Well, we’ve been spending time together, and I don’t feel any different, so I’m not sure it’s working.” His eyes grow sad. “I understand if you’d rather shake hands and part ways now. It seems like a lot of trouble for someone you don’t know.”

“Of course I’ll keep trying!” You say, with a sudden passion. “We’ll get you back to being human!”

“Oh! Really?” His bunny mouth turns up into what looks like a smile. “Great! Thanks for sticking with it! I am one appreciative bunny!”

You smile back at him. You wish you could spend more time with him, but unfortunately, the sun is going down. “Well, I have to go now...” You look around the park. “You do have somewhere to stay tonight, right?”

“I’ll find somewhere to burrow. Besides, there’s a cage with other rabbits here. I can hang out with them if it gets too tough out here.” He turns to hop away, but calls back to you. “You will come by tomorrow, right?”

“Of course!”

 

“So, how was your first day getting to know Nimh?” The fairy asks you as you enter your apartment.

“It was good. He seems really sweet. But I’m still not sure how I’m going to get him to fall in love with me. It’s not like you can force these things.” You contemplate pouring yourself a drink, but decide against it. You think you’ll stick to tap water until you know that not everything you touch is cursed.

“Don’t worry, it’ll flow naturally when you get into it.” She hovers over your shoulder as you brush your teeth, getting ready for bed. “Did you see how his needs changed after you reached the first requirement?”

“Yeah, he’d like to spend more time with me, wants me to read a few books, and take him to dinner.” You turn and look at her. “How do you know all of this, anyway?”

“I’m a love fairy – I look into people’s hearts and am able to determine their deepest desires." She smiles at you, a cheeky gleam in her eyes. "I know how you were looking at those boys before they were transformed.”

“Alright, so you’re a fairy who knows the secret desires of people’s hearts, but why was there cursed water?”

She shrugs. “That’s not a question I know the answer to, sweetheart.” She looks at her bare wrist. “Gosh! Is that the time! I’ll see you tomorrow!”

She disappears before you can question her further. You sigh and finish brushing your teeth, curling up in bed before your head explodes from all the questions.

 

Day 2

 

You wake feeling refreshed, but that quickly evaporates when you get a text that informs you that you’re fired from the zoo until all the boys are returned to normal.

Sighing, you go back to the seamstress shop, getting stuck into your work. After you’re done there, you go back to the place where you saw Nimh yesterday. He’s waiting there for you, pacing in tiny circles, occasionally stepping on his ears, yelping in pain each time.

“Hey, Nimh!” You say, injecting as much cheer into your voice as you can. “How are you today?”

“Oh! You came back!”

“Of course; I said I was going to, didn’t I?”

“Well...I suppose.” He sits on his haunches and wriggles his nose, which makes him giggle. “I don’t make it do that, you know. It just happens!” His foot starts thumping, as well. “That also happens randomly.” His cheeks colour, and he's quick to change the subject. “Did I tell you that people keep asking me ‘What’s up doc?’ It’s getting kind of annoying, but I do admit I laughed the first few times.”

“You didn’t tell me that.” You look across the street at a pet cafe. “Hey, are you hungry? We could go get lunch.”

“That would be...really nice. Thank you.” His nose twitches again. “But...um...well, I kind of ate the money you gave me yesterday. I’m sorry; it looked so much like lettuce that I just couldn’t stop myself.”

You laugh heartily at that. “That’s alright. I’ll pay for the both of us.” You assure him, taking his hand as you cross the street, not wanting someone to miss him and run him over. You shiver at the morbid thought, trying to stop yourself from thinking about all the other boys who currently have no one else to help them cross streets. What are you going to – _no, don’t think about it, don’t think about it, don’t think about it..._

When you get inside, he hops up onto the chair using his powerful hind legs.

“You really can jump very high.” You say, hoping it counts for some sort of flirting. “Could you always jump four times your height?”

“Haha, no. I suppose there are _some_ benefits to being a rabbit. But there are a lot of things that aren’t so great.” He says, looking at the menu.

“Oh?”

“Yeah, I’ll just say this; shedding.”

You wince in sympathy. “What else is there to being a rabbit?”

“Well, I’ve never eaten so much green in my life, and I’m constantly snacking on bushes and grasses. I’ve been chased out of a few gardens, but the pets I get are more than worth it. Although, it can get a bit startling when someone tries to take me home with them.”

“Has that happened often?”

He uses his hind paw to scratch at his ear. “A few times. Especially young girls.” His cheeks colour again, and you wonder at how that’s even possible. “But, you know, I’ve never been called cute so much, and I’m bisexual, so I had all the opportunities before now.”

Before you can answer, a waiter comes over and asks what you’d like for lunch. You order (favourite dish), while Nimh asks for just a plate of carrot sticks. He disappears into the kitchen with your order, and you finally get the chance to continue the conversation.

“You’re bisexual?” This titbit of information gives you hope that this really is going to work out after all, even if it is just with one of the boys.

“Yeah. What about you?”

“Oh, I’m (insert sexuality).”

“Well, that’s a relief.” He starts. “Oh! I mean...um...cool!”

You giggle at his awkwardness, feeling good that you’re not the only one new to this kind of situation. Before now, you’d never even held hands with anyone. “So…” You start, looking for a topic of conversation. “I don’t really know all that much about you, Nimh.”

“I suppose I don’t know much about you, either.” He conceded. “What do you want to know?”

“Well, what do you like to do in your free time?”

“Reading is always a good time. I also love baking, especially oatmeal cookies – they’re my favourite. I love to go out and get ice cream with friends. What about you?”

“(Insert your hobbies).”

“I love all those things too! Maybe we could (one of your activities) sometime.”

“I’d like that.” You say. You feel as though this is going very well. “So, what do you do for a living, Nimh?”

“I’m a personal assistant. Or at least, I was. I can’t exactly do that while I’m a rabbit. I can’t even pick up the phone!”

“Oh really? A personal assistant to whom?”

He blushes again. “You have to promise not to laugh, alright?”

“I promise.”

“I was personal assistant to a model. His name is Volks. You might have seen him – he’s got amber eyes and dark hair. He usually models for adverts, but sometimes he does clothing lines as well.”

“That’s really cool, Nimh! How long have you been doing that for?”

His cheeks flush again. “Uh, a few years...”

Your meal comes. You watch in fascination as he nibbles on his food, his nose twitching like crazy. You can’t resist reaching over and stroking his head, making him blush even more.

“Sorry, you’re just so cute...”

“That’s alright.” He quickly finishes off the rest of his plate. “Thank you for this. I really enjoyed myself.”

“I’d love to do it again sometime, but maybe when you’re a human again?”

He makes that strange smiling face again as he hops off his chair and follows you to the front desk, where you pay for your meal.

When you get back to the park, it’s only midday, but your lunch break is well and truly over. “Well, I should get back to work. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

As you walk away, you look back, and see him watching you leave. It twinges something in your heart, and you wonder if anyone else has come to visit him since he was turned into a rabbit. Either way, there’s nothing you can do to fix it now, and so you merely wave him goodbye as you make your way to your job.

 

The owner is waiting for you when you get back. “Ah,” she says, “there you are!” She ushers you inside quickly. “You’ve been doing a good job! It’s not much, but I’m giving you a raise. Instead of ten dollars an hour, you’ll get twelve.”

“Uh...thanks, Mrs B.” You’ve never been told her name, but her shop has a sign that says ‘Mrs B’s Repairs and Embroidery’, and so you’ve assumed that she’s Mrs B.

“That’s alright, darling. Now, get back to work. We have much to do before closing today.”

You sigh and sit at your desk, readying yourself for the painful task ahead. You’ve still not quite gotten down the art of not poking your own fingers, and gripping the tiny needles digs into your fingertips, but you’ve not yet found other work, so until you do, you’re stuck with this.

 

After another five or so hours of what you’re pretty sure is close to slave labour, you’re finally finished for the day. You say goodbye to Mrs B and head to the library so you can borrow some books. You’re not quite sure what books Nimh would be interested in, so you decide on some books about rabbits, because even if he’s a magically created one, he seems to share at least some qualities with them.

When you get home, you have a shower and think about all the boys who got turned into animals. How many were there? Will you be able to turn them all back? Will they ever be the same again? What if they’re stuck in the animal’s body so long, they don’t _want_ to be turned back? What happens if they die in animal form?

You sigh and rest your head against the tiles. It’s no use worrying about it, but you can’t help it. You feel so guilty for being the reason these boys are now rabbits and who knows what else.

Turning the shower off, you sit and curl your arms around your knees, cradling them to your chest, resting your head against your forearms. It’s strange...no one’s yet reported on the disappearance of however many men were transformed, and there’s been no fuss about a whole bunch of talking animals. You want to ask the fairy about it, but you don’t know what her name is, and if you just shout ‘hey, come answer my questions’ into the air until she arrives, your neighbours are going to think you’re crazy.

You sigh again, shivering in the cool night air. You're beginning to think you really are crazy. Droplets of water slide down your drying skin. You close your eyes and turn the water back on.

 _A few more minutes,_ you think, tilting your head back. _Just a few more minutes…_

 

Day 3

 

Nimh is waiting for you in the same place as yesterday, his foot thumping the ground. He seems to perk up when he sees you.

“Hi, (Y/N)!” He hops over to you excitedly. “I had a dream last night.”

“Really? Did you...not have them the night before?”

He does a strange impression of a shrug. “I guess, but I didn’t remember them. I remember the one from last night, though. I dreamt that I was turned back into a human.”

“What happened?” You ask excitedly, hoping that he somehow dreamt the answer to your worries.

He blushes. “W...well, I just went to work, actually...” He chuckles softly. “I suppose I’m just worrying about not making rent, which is silly, because I don’t need to pay rent if I’m a rabbit.”

“Oh.” You can’t hide the disappointment from your voice. “Yeah, I guess you wouldn’t...”

“It’s okay, I’m sure we’ll figure something out.”

That reminds you of the books you’d read last night. The requirements above his head have disappeared, but none have come to replace them, so you suppose you actually have to bring them up in order to ‘complete the objective’, as it were.

“I read some books last night.” You say as you sit down on the bench, watching Nimh hop up nimbly beside you. He looks up at you with his huge rabbit eyes.

“Really? What about?”

“Well...um...rabbits. I thought, maybe, getting to know more about rabbits might tell me something about getting you back to human form. Or at least let me get to know you a little bit better.”

He laughs softly. “You know, it was never this easy making friends as a human.” He smiles at you again. “Thank you for trying so hard.”

“Of course. Although, I do feel really guilty. I’m sorry about all this, Nimh.” You reach out unconsciously and stroke his ears. “You would still be human if it weren’t for me.”

“True, but...I feel like I’ve met someone really special because of this.” There’s the blush on his cheeks again, and your heart sinks.

You pull your hand back. “Oh. Who is she? Or he?”

“Oh! No, no. I mean, it’s you. You’re the someone special.” He hastily corrects.

You feel hope flooding back into your heart. “Oh. Well, I feel the same. So...even after we’ve worked this out, you still want to be friends?”

“Yeah, of course!” He nuzzles your leg. “I really like spending time with you.” There’s a comfortable silence for a little while, and you start petting him again. “So...” He says. “To lift this curse, you said we just have to spend time together?”

“I guess. I’m still not sure about the proper solution, but it can’t hurt, right?”

“Right...” He pauses, looking off into the trees. “So you wouldn’t know how long it might take? Do we need anything else? Like, a magical sword or something? Not that I want to get rid of you, but...I have family and friends who’ll be missing me and...you know...”

“I have no idea. I’m sorry.” You continue to pet him. “Maybe we just have to get to know each other a little bit better.” The list of requirements is back over his head, this time displaying another time bar, a strange icon that you’re not sure what to make of, a picture of a packet of sunflower seeds and a picture of the local flamingo-shaped boats.

“Well, I really hope it’s not the magical sword thing, because I have a sneaking suspicion I wouldn’t be much good at adventuring.” He smiles at you again. “But if we _did_ have to go on an adventure, you’d take care of me, wouldn’t you?”

Suddenly, the icon makes sense; he wants you to start doing safari-like expeditions on mountain trails. “Of course I would.” You promise, pulling him closer to you, feeling the warmth from his body on your leg.

You stay there for a little while longer, but eventually have to go home so you can get some sleep. Nimh is looking very tired by the time you leave, too, his ears and eyelids drooping as he waves you goodbye.

When you get back home, the fairy is waiting for you again.

“So,” she says with a huge grin on her face, “how’s it all going?”

You sigh, frustrated. “Shouldn’t you already know all this?” You put a pot on the stove a little more forcefully than you strictly have to. “You’ve been watching me, haven’t you? Besides, if you have magic, why can’t you just magic them all back? I mean, what if one of them doesn’t like (your gender)? Will they just stay an animal forever? And why hasn’t there been any-”

You turn around, but she’s already gone. Groaning, you go back to making your dinner.

 

Day 4

 

You take the next day off work to go for a hike, wanting to get Nimh back to normal as soon as possible. Mrs B seems fine with you taking the break, telling you to take care of your fingers while you’re away. You shake your head as you think about her; she’s a very eccentric lady.

Your head isn’t quite where your body is when you walk into a huge, lumbering bear. She turns and roars at you, but before you can even scream in response, a big grey wolf lunges from the bushes to your left and tackles her, winning the fight and forcing her to run off.

As he licks his wounds, he looks at you with bored eyes. Your heart is thundering in your chest. He huffs. “I recognise you. You’re the idiot who gave me that water that turned me into a wolf. Well, don’t thank me or anything – I just had unfinished business with her.”

You shakily get to your feet. “Sorry. Thank you for saving me. I'm sorry about turning you into a wolf but I really want to help you get better.”

He raises an eyebrow sceptically. “Really? And how are you going to do that?”

“Um...spend more time with you? I’m sorry, I’m still not entirely sure yet.”

He scoffs and turns his back on you. “Figures. Well, don’t come by again until you know how to lift this curse or whatever it is...” He stands and swishes his tail. “My name’s Volks, by the way. Remember it.”

With that, he leaps back into the brush, leaving you standing there, shell-shocked.

After a moments’ hesitation, you run after him. “Hey! Wait!” You yell, trying to get him to slow down. After a long chase through the woods, you find yourself standing at the entrance of his den.

He rolls his eyes at you. “Oh, you again.” He sighs. “What?”

“Well...we should at least talk, get to know each other a little better.” You say, leaning against a nearby tree, trying to catch your breath.

He sighs again. “Well, I wanted to be a wolf when I was a kid. I figured that’s why I am one now. After all, I was a lame kid and this is a lame situation, so it would make sense.” He sits back on his haunches. “I hate it when people put ‘wagon’ on the end of my name – and I can now punish them severely for doing it. I can crush a moose’s femur in six bites. I now have the burning desire to chase after young children and elderly people. I hate that cheesy ‘friendship is magic’ crap, so the cure for this better not involve any of that. Also, I may look soft and cute, but I can bite you and, while I’m not saying that’s definitely going to happen, I’m not saying it _won’t_ so you should probably _back off_ until you have a more solid answer.”

You concede and back away slowly, going back to your walk in the woods, thinking about what Nimh said about working as a personal assistant to a model named Volks. It’s not a particularly common name, so you assume that it’s the same Volks.

You suppress a shiver; Nimh is so nice that Volks is like a bucket of cold water. You hope that, while Nimh was working for him, he was treated nicely. Either way, it seems as though you’re going to have to figure it out with Nimh before you come back to see Volks.

 

After your enlightening walk in the mountains, you go back to the zoo, where Nimh is waiting for you.

“Sorry I’m late.” You say as you sit down. “I was going for a walk in the woods today.”

“That sounds like fun. Did anything interesting happen?” He asks, his nose twitching as he sniffs your fingers. You fish around in your pocket for the bag of carrots you got him. He squeaks in delight and starts devouring them immediately.

“Something interesting _did_ happen, actually.” You say carefully. “I think I might have met your boss, Volks.”

He stops eating and blinks up at you. “Really? In the woods?”

“Well, I kind of...gave him some of the cursed water, too, so...he’s a wolf.”

“Oh! Well, I’m glad I didn’t meet him, then. He’s very snappy when he’s in the mood to be, and well, I’m a rabbit.”

You wince, not wanting to think about what might happen if it all goes wrong. “Can we talk about something other than the food chain?” You say, desperate to change the subject. “How about we talk about how to get this curse to be lifted?”

“Did you find anything else?” He asks hopefully.

“No, but Volks made it very clear that if I don’t find a solution, he doesn’t want to see me again.” You sigh heavily. “How about we go down to the river and take one of those boats while we think about it?”

“Okay!” He agrees happily, allowing you to pack up the remaining carrots before taking your hand as you walk down to the river.

“So how was your day, Nimh? What did you do?”

“Well, I found my way back to my house, but I couldn’t get inside of course. So I dug up my garden and made a burrow instead.” He shakes his head. “And after I’d worked so hard on it.”

“You can fix it up when we turn you back.” You say, squeezing his hand softly.

“Yeah, I suppose so. I just hope my neighbours don’t recognise me. I’m not sure what they would do if they knew I’d been turned into a rabbit.”

You stop by the ticket booth and buy a ticket to ride on one of the boats. The man points you to one close by, and you help Nimh into it, clambering in after him. As you paddle out, ducklings come up and look questioningly at Nimh, quacking and splashing. Nimh leans over the side curiously, and you unthinkingly grab his tail, which makes him yelp.

“Sorry. I just didn’t want you to fall in.” You say sheepishly as he rubs his behind. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine.” He leans over the side again, but not so far that it’s precarious. The ducklings follow you all the way around the lake, and you make sure to paddle slow enough so that they can keep up.

When you get back around to the dock, Nimh is looking very sleepy. As you help him out of the boat, you ask him if he would be alright with you carrying him back.

He yawns, mouth opening wide and giving you full view of his two sharp front teeth. “You know, that wouldn’t be so bad, I think. Okay.”

Heart hammering in your chest, you scoop him up, one hand under his bottom, the other on his rib cage, and cradle him close. He snuggles into you and settles in, falling asleep in your arms.

It’s not long before you wake him up, however. He blinks up at you. “What’s up?” He asks, but before you can answer adds, “you,” then giggles.

“Where do you want me to take you?” You answer, smiling at his joke. “I can take you to your house or the zoo, or somewhere else entirely.”

His nose twitches as he thinks. “If you take me to my house, will you remember to let me out tomorrow morning?”

You bite your lip. While it’s true that you can be quite forgetful, would you really forget a whole human being? You decide to go on the safe side. “Probably not, sorry. I’ve got a lot on my mind at the moment, and I’d rather not risk it anyway. But...if you want to stay inside tonight, there are pet hotels around, or you can stay at my place?”

“You’d...really be okay with me staying over?”

“Of course. It’s not like you can really do anything, you know?” You say, starting towards your home, already committed to the course. “Besides, it’ll be like a sleepover.” You’re starting to get excited about this. Maybe too excited. “I know you can’t exactly play video games, but it’s always fun to watch, right? And I could read to you! What do you think about that?”

“That sounds like a lot of fun.” He says, snuggling up to your chest, shivering slightly.

“Oh! Are you cold?”

“No, I’m...I’m happy. Why did you think I was cold?”

“You’re quivering like jelly.” Your hand comes up and starts absently stroking his fur, and he vibrates even more vigorously.

“Oh. Well, I think that’s just because my heart’s beating so fast!”

You pause to feel his tiny rabbit heart hammering against your wrist, his wet nose tucked into the crook of your elbow, his whole body shaking. “Well, let’s get you home as quickly as possible, then.”

You talk about random things until you finally get inside, then chat idly about the weather and current events as you putter around, finding a blanket for Nimh to sit on and then making dinner. You’re really lucky you went shopping the other day, otherwise your carrots and lettuce would be looking a lot sadder.

After putting the platter together, you bring it out and watch as Nimh nibbles his way through it.

“So,” you say when he’s finished, “what did you want to do?”

“Just sleep, if that’s okay with you? I’m really tired.”

You’re a little disappointed, but not surprised; he had been fast asleep in your arms when you’d opened the door. “Well, I’ll read something to you, if that’s okay?” You ask, not wanting your time to be over just yet.

He curls up in the blanket you got him, and you help him by tucking it up around his ears, until only his nose and eyes are visible. “If you want to.”

You smile at him and fetch your favourite children’s book – _Search for WondLa_ – and start reading. Before you’ve even finished the first page, he’s snoring softly. Sighing, you close the book and gently stroke a line down his nose. He twitches in his sleep, but doesn’t wake.

After just watching him sleep for another minute, you stand and get yourself ready for bed. Just before you get into bed, you look back into your living room to where Nimh is sleeping, watching his rabbit body move under the blanket as he breathes. You have the sudden desire to kiss him goodnight, but you force it aside; you’re not yet at that stage in the relationship. You should wait until Nimh is ready.

Sighing, you swing your door closed and get under the covers. You’re asleep within seconds of your head hitting the pillow.

 

Day 5

 

When you wake up, Nimh is sitting on the bed next to you.

“Morning.” You say, reaching over and scratching behind his ears, causing his foot to start thumping. “I was thinking of getting some breakfast on the run. What do you say we go and get you some sunflower seeds?”

He perks up at the mention of sunflower seeds. “I’d like that. What are you going to have?”

“I was thinking an orange and poppy seed muffin.”

His nose twitches excitedly. “That sounds really delicious.” He says.

“Well, maybe we can share.” You say, still stroking his silky soft fur. “Just let me get ready, and then we’ll pick something up on the way to the zoo. I’ve got an interview for a new job today, so I’m going to need to be nice and fresh.”

“That’s awesome.” Nimh says as he vacates your bed and waits on the floor for you. “Where is the interview at?”

You continue talking as you take a quick shower. “Well, it’s...more of an audition? I’m going to this bar to be an entertainer.”

“What...kind of entertainer?” He asks, and you’re reminded of the fact that this is a young man, not a child. He just seems too innocent.

“No, no! Nothing like that!” You say quickly. “A musician.”

“I didn’t know you played an instrument.” He says. “You didn’t mention it when we were talking about hobbies...”

You get out of the shower and towel off, dressing quickly. “Oh, yeah...it’s kind of a recent addition. I just picked up (favourite instrument) a few weeks ago.” That’s a blatant lie, but Nimh would never believe the truth...or maybe he would? “Actually...it was more like two days ago.”

“And you’re already good enough to play at an open venue?”

You shrug. “I think it has to do with the curse. I’ve been picking things up a lot easier since it started, you know.” You point to the stove. “Before, I could barely boil water without causing a disaster, but the first night, when I got home, I came in and just...cooked up a meal.” You purse your lips. “Maybe it has something to do with being prepared for wooing all the guys I transformed. Like, if I can cook and play (instrument) and read really fast and play video games really well, I’ll have a better chance of making you all really happy.”

“It must be working, because you’re already making me very happy.” Nimh says with a blush on his cheeks.

“I’m glad for that, Nimh. You make me really happy, too.” You say as you close the door to your apartment. You lead him down the street to the nearest corner store, where you buy an orange and poppy seed muffin and a bag of sunflower seeds.

You find a place to sit together while you eat breakfast. “Here, I’ll open it for you.” You say, taking the sunflower seeds from him and pulling it open. You take a handful and then pass the bag back. Nimh reaches into the bag and takes one of the seeds, nibbling it down before going back for another.

You watch him eat, ever fascinated by the twitching of his facial muscles as his jaw works. After you’ve finished your share of the seeds, you open up your muffin and break off a piece, feeding it to him. As your fingers get closer to his mouth, you start to feel his fur tickling your skin, and it makes you giggle.

“What?” He asks when he’s finished his mouthful.

“You’re so cute, Nimh.” You say, reaching over and petting him. He nuzzles into your touch. You catch a glimpse of the time, and sigh. “Sorry, Nimh, but I have to go. I hope you have a good day.”

“You too.” He says, waving you goodbye.

After leaving his line of sight, you run to the train station and get on the absolute last before you’re late. You try not to worry, but you can’t help it. With going on so many dates, you’re struggling to make rent, and a second job will help you to make ends meet.

When you finally get to the place, you look up at the bar. It’s a small place called ‘the Bluejay’. You push your way inside and wait in the cue of people auditioning, hoping that you really are good enough.

 

“How did the interview go?” The fairy asks you as soon as you step through your door.

You roll your eyes at her. “If you already know, why do you ask? Besides, you won’t answer my questions, so why should I-” You’d been taking off your shoes, but she’s gone by the time you look up again. “Yeah, fuck you too.” You mutter. You wish you could call Nimh, but he hasn’t given you a phone number, and even if he had, he's already told you he can't use a phone due to his rabbit paws.

You lie back on your bed and stare at the ceiling. Then, you notice a stack of bills on the bedside table. You narrow your eyes at it.

The fairy magically pops back into existence right in front of your face.

“What is that?” You ask before she can say anything.

“Your pay for working at the seamstress’ shop today.” She says simply, her face impassive.

“But I didn’t work there today. I called and told her I had an audition today.”

“Yes, and the clone of you who went to work told her that it had been cancelled.”

“Clone?” You ask, staring straight at her, making sure she won’t just vanish this time.

She sighs. “Look, there’s a curse that turns boys into animals, you can talk to these animals, and you can now magically play (instrument) but the thing that’s really not computing is that I can make clones of you so that you can earn money even while you’re elsewhere?”

“Alright, fine. Things have been kind of crazy, but couldn’t you have at least told me that you were going to clone me? I mean...is there any risk of-”

“I know what you’re thinking, and that’s silly, okay? My magic won’t run away from me. Just leave the work stuff to me, alright? You concentrate on going on dates and looking for more boys.”

You huff in annoyance. “Fine. Whatever.” Not wanting to talk to her anymore, you turn away and tug your jacket off. Then, you think twice about it and pull it back on.

You leave your apartment and start walking through the streets. After a little while, you sense someone else walking with you. When you look down, you see Volks.

“I expected you would stay in the forest.” You say to him.

He rolls his shoulders. “Thought I’d come by and see if you’d made any progress on changing me back yet.”

You feel a smile creep across your face. “Sure you didn’t miss me?”

A low growl emits from his throat.

“Alright, alright.” You laugh. “No need to get your tail tied in a knot. I was joking.” The smile fades. “I haven’t made any more progress yet. I’m still working on spending some time with the other boys.”

“How many have you found?”

“Uh...well...just two...”

He scoffs. “I knew it. Absolutely useless.” He peels away from you, and you watch him bound back out of the city.

You tell yourself he doesn’t mean it, but it still stings. You continue on, feeling even worse than before. It’s not too long before you’re standing at the gates of the zoo. It’s closed, of course, but you still stand there for a few minutes, wondering just how your life got so topsy turvy. Before today, you’d been a college student with a part-time job to help pay your bills. Now...well, you’d forgotten all about classes, that’s for sure.

You sigh and turn away, but a rustling in the bushes makes you pause. When you look back, Nimh is standing at the gates of the zoo.

“Is everything alright?” He asks, as though he can feel that you’re not.

“I...was wondering if you wanted to go to the theme park?”

“Sure, I’d love to.” He hops over and takes a hold of your hand. “Lead the way.”

 

The park is bustling with people, but no one looks at you strangely when you walk in holding the paw of a giant rabbit. Although, as you read in those books, he’s probably not even the biggest rabbit in the world.

Nimh looks at everything in awe, the coloured lights turning his usually yellow fur into a rainbow.

He hops with you as you lead him to the roller coaster. Again, no one spares you a second glance as you get on with a rabbit, but you’re beyond the point of questioning it. _Magic, am I right?_

The wind rushing through your hair doesn’t dislodge your thoughts. As if sensing that you’re not really having fun, Nimh suggests that you go home.

“I’m sorry that wasn’t quite the...thrilling experience you might have hoped for, Nimh. I just...I met with Volks again today...”

“Was he mean to you?” He asks softly. “It’s alright, he doesn’t mean it. He’s sometimes mean when he’s in a bad mood.”

“Yeah, I guess.” You say, shrugging sadly.

“If...if you want to, we can talk about something else?”

“No, it’s alright. He just...he wanted to ask if I’d made any progress, and when I told him I hadn’t, he...he said I was useless.” You sigh. “And he’s right, isn’t he? I mean, we haven’t gotten anywhere with you. You’re still a rabbit. I haven’t found any other boys, and I still have no idea how to go about lifting the curse. All I’ve done is get a stack of money that’ll be useless to fix you.” You close your eyes and hang your head. “I’m sorry, Nimh.”

He nudges your side softly. “You’re not useless. We’ll find the others, and we’ll figure it all out. It’ll be okay.”

You squeeze his hand. “Thanks. I don’t think anyone else would still be believing me at this point.”

“Hey, it’s only been a few days. It’s not like months have gone by. We’ll get through this.”

You’re back at your apartment already. You let go of his hand and unlock your door, glad that the fairy doesn’t show up again. You still haven’t told Nimh about her, and you’re not sure what his reaction would be to finding out.

You expect that he’ll just come inside with you, but he’s hopping down the street when you turn around. “Nimh!” He turns back to look at you. “Where are you going? Stay here the night!”

He hops back. “Are you sure? I stayed here last night...”

“Yeah, but you’re a rabbit.” You get down on his level, which feels slightly patronising, but you want to look him in the eyes when you say this. “Right now, I wouldn’t have anyone else with me. So won’t you stay? I’ll cut up some more carrots, and we can watch a movie?”

“I’d like that.” He says, blushing.

You lead him back into your apartment and settle him on your couch. He picks out a movie on Netflix while you make dinner, which is steamed vegetables and rice.

“Thank you.” He says when you bring it to him.

“No, I should thank you, Nimh. I...I really needed to see you tonight.” You reach over and stroke his silky fur. “You made me feel better.”

Without really thinking about it, you lean over and kiss his cheek, and bubbles and sparkles fill the air. When they dissipate, a very naked young man is sitting on your couch. You exclaim in surprise and cover your eyes.

“Oh! I’m sorry!” He exclaims, covering himself as best he can. “Do you have anything I could...”

“Yeah, in my room.” You say, pointing without looking.

Footsteps hurry away from you, and you uncover your eyes in time to see his pale behind disappearing into your room.

Your heart thuds against your rib cage, thunderously loud in your ears. When he emerges again, he’s wearing one of your old shirts and a pair of your pyjama pants. His face is beet red, and...he has rabbit ears instead of human ones, blending seamlessly into his blonde hair.

“I’m so sorry.” He says, over and over, his cheeks still burning.

“No, it’s okay. I should say sorry. I shouldn’t have kissed you without asking. Look, why don’t we take you home? We can sleep off the embarrassment, and then we’ll meet tomorrow and discuss what to do now, right?”

He nods, distracted, and you lead him out the door. “Alright, well, I need to know where you live, Nimh.”

“Uh...yeah.” He starts to lead the way, and you just cling to his arm, following without comment.

 

You stand outside his apartment as he goes up the steps. “Nimh.” He turns back to look at you. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

He disappears inside, and you let your shoulders slump.

“Well, I guess we know how to lift the curse, now.” You remember the ears still protruding from his head. “At least mostly.”

You turn away and walk back to your own apartment, thinking of how you’re going to break the news to Volks. Somehow, you don’t think he’s going to be very pleased with that idea.


	2. Days 5-10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Firstly, thank you to everyone for the support on the first chapter. I know there wasn't all that much, but I was still really excited because I am so READY for this fanfiction. I have a billion different branches to pick from but, unfortunately, only have one that can be the real story-line of this fic, but if it doesn't go the way you want it to, don't worry; I'll probably post some of my other story-line ideas and/or deleted scenes in a seperate work.  
> I hope you all really enjoy this chapter as much as I did writing it, and I am so excited to show you more about this world that I'm borrowing/making. (Side note: if you're confused about where this is set, you're not the only one XD. Probably America somewhere, to be honest, but who knows?)  
> Anyway, hope you all have a good time, and I'll see you in the next chapter.

Day 6

 

Your stomach coils with nerves as you approach the den you saw Volks at. He’s sitting in the mouth, licking what looks like blood off his paws.

“Oh, you again. I hope you’ve come with some answers. I just ate a raw rabbit – disgusting.” He looks up at you with a bored expression. “I can’t keep living like this.”

Your heart twists in panic when he mentions the rabbit, but you remind yourself that Nimh has been turned back to a mostly human state.

“So?” He asks impatiently.

“Uh...yeah, we did figure something out.” You say nervously. “You’re not going to like it, though.”

“What’s not to love about this situation?” He says impatiently. “Come on, spit it out. I don’t have all day here.”

“Well, it...involves a kiss.”

He rolls his eyes. “Of course it does.” He sighs. “Well, come here, then.”

You step back from him, causing him to growl. “I think...we should know each other better before...because, you know, it didn’t change him back the whole way. He still has the ears and the tail.”

“Of course he does.” Volks huffs and sits back on his haunches. “Alright, fine. Get to know me better.”

You sigh and flick your eyes to the requirements above his head. It seems he wants you to take him to dinner.

“Are you hungry? There’s a restaurant halfway up the mountain that has good steaks.”

“Fine.” He follows you up the trail to the restaurant you mentioned, grumbling the whole while.

“If you don’t want to come, then don’t.” You say, snapping finally. “It’s not like I’m just rolling around in money. And if you’re so against spending time with me, then you may as well go back to your den, because I’m only doing this because I feel bad. I don’t care about you any more than you care about me. So if you really find me that insufferable, leave, and you can find your own damn way back to being human.”

With those words, you turn and start to walk back down the path, but you’re not watching where you’re going, and you trip over a tree root. Volks is by your side in seconds.

“Are you okay?” He asks, allowing you to use his shoulders as leverage to get back to your feet.

“Yeah. Probably gonna bruise, but I’ll be fine.” You say curtly, turning on your heel and making to leave again, but he quickly gets in front of you and blocks your path.

“I’m sorry, alright?” He says. “I do want to break this curse, and...I suppose you’re not all that bad.”

You wait for another few moments, hoping that he’ll say something more, but he just looks at the ground at your feet. You sigh and turn around, starting to walk back up the path to the restaurant. Volks falls into step beside you.

After a few minutes, your anger has dissipated. “So how old are you, Volks?”

“Twenty-two. And before you ask, my birthday’s the seventeenth of February. I’m a model and I like nature and hiking and stuff. I sometimes write in my spare time and I really, really like socks.”

You’re a bit annoyed by his attitude, but his last statement grabs your curiosity, distracting you. “Socks?”

“Yeah, they’re like...the best gift ever.”

“How so?”

“Well, I’m always losing them, so more are always appreciated, and if you don’t like them or they don’t fit, they’re super easy to re-gift. Or, you can use them to make sock puppets or something.”

“Hmm. So, multi-purpose, right?”

“Exactly.”

“How long have you been modelling for?”

His cheeks redden. “Um...don’t laugh, but...since I was, like, five or something. Apparently I just had one of those faces, you know? My mother was my ‘agent’ for a while, until it all got too much for her. Then, we hired someone else to handle it all. Some twink named ‘Nimh’. I’m pretty sure I’ve given him panic attacks with some of my antics.” He laughs, but you don’t join in, so he quickly stops. “Anyway, what about you? What do you do?” He asks awkwardly.

“(Tell him a bit about yourself).”

“Cool,” Volks says, sounding less than interested. “Hey, that’s the restaurant, right?”

You look up the hill and see the restaurant. “Yeah.”

 

After your ‘date’, Volks seems to be in an even worse mood. You hadn’t even been able to finish your meal because he’d bitten the waiter. “What was that guy’s deal?” He asks angrily as you make your way back down the mountainside. “I mean, ‘hungry like the wolf’? What a fucking bastard.”

“Would going to another restaurant help?” You ask, despite wanting to get away from him as quickly as possible.

He looks sideways at you. “Maybe.”

You sigh and lead him down to the wharf, to one of your favourite seafood restaurants. When you’re seated, he takes one look at the menu and rolls his eyes. “Don’t they have any beef at all?”

“No, this a seafood restaurant.” You say, trying not to get angry again. “Look, would it go better if I just took you back to my place and we had dinner there?”

“Whatever.” He hops down off his chair and struts to the exit, growling softly.

You exhale harshly and follow him. If you’d known he would be this much trouble, you might have skipped him entirely, but you’re committed now, unfortunately. You lead the way back to your apartment and fetch a raw steak, handing it to him and watching as he devours it.

The requirements above his head fade and change, now showing an animation of someone running, another time bar, the boats you took Nimh for a ride on, and even more hiking.

Volks sighs as he stretches, his meal now finished. “Well, I didn’t ask for your help, but if you want to waste your time on me, that’s you problem. Does this mean I’m stuck with you for now?”

“Am I really such distasteful company?” You ask him, stinging. “If you really feel that way, maybe you really would be better off finding someone else to help you, because the way to fix this is through love, or at least it seems that way. So, if you find me so repulsive...”

You get out your mop and start to clean the floor where the raw steak had made contact with it, your eyes filling with tears.

He curls into a ball in the corner.

After you put the mop away, you're upset to find that he still hasn't left. “What are you still doing here?” You ask him, voice thick.

“I...I can’t open the door.” He mumbles.

“Right. Forgive me for being such an idiot that I didn’t remember.” You go over to the door and open it, but Volks still doesn’t leave. “What now? Are you going to tell me you need a bath or the meat wasn’t ‘gourmet’ enough for you? Well, too bad. I don’t want you here anymore.”

His eyes are sad, and you feel vaguely bad for getting snappy with him, but… _he should have been nicer_. After another slight hesitation, he finally leaves, his tail tucked between his legs.

You sigh, closing your eyes and resting your back against the door. Your throat constricts as you swallow thickly. Sitting there, you think about everything that’s been happening in your life over the past six days. It hasn’t even been a week, and you’re already juggling two jobs, three hobbies and two boys, and who knows how many there will be in the future? It feels like too much, and you’ve barely even started.

A knock comes on your door. Taking a deep breath, you get up and open it. Nimh is standing there.

“Hey, Nimh. I’m sorry, but this is a really bad time. Could you come back later?”

His eyes grow sad. “What happened?”

You bite your lip, wondering if you should tell him or not. “Volks.” It comes out, unbidden, despite your indecision.

Nimh sighs and steps closer. “Do you want to talk about it?” He asks, his body language indicating the invitation for a hug, which you gladly accept.

“I guess.”

“We don’t have to if you don’t want to. It’s just...I’ve known Volks for a long time, so I know that he’s not all bad. There are times when he’s...almost sweet.”

“Well, he could be a little more appreciative. I take him out to lunch and he bites the waiter’s hand. I bring him back here to give him something to eat instead and he tells me I’m wasting my time. He’s constantly mean to me, and acts like it shouldn’t affect me.”

“I...I can’t tell you why he’s like that. He just is.” Nimh sighs into your hair and tightens his arms around you. “I’m sorry you have to deal with him. I know how much of a nightmare it can be.”

“He told me.” Nimh looks confused. “He told me that you’ve been his agent since his mother couldn’t be, whenever that was. He told me that he’s pretty sure he caused you to have anxiety attacks.”

“Well, he’s right about that.” Nimh says, stepping back from you and laughing. “But it’s alright. A lot of people in my industry often have similar breakdowns, and not just because of the people they work for. It’s a stressful job. Honestly, I’m not even sure why I stick with it.” He rubs the back of his head awkwardly. “I think I know just how much he depends on me.”

You sit down on the couch, and pat the place beside you, which he falls into obediently. “You don’t owe him anything. Besides, you’re too nice to let him walk all over you. You should find a new job when we get you back to human.”

He sighs and leans his head against your shoulder. “Just promise me you won’t give up on him just yet? He has this habit of...of growing on you.”

“Alright, I promise.” You sit there in silence for a while. “So, why did you come? Not that I don’t love seeing you, but...”

“Yeah, I...I wanted to apologise again for yesterday.” Your eyes flick up to his requirements, watching the time bar filling up. There’s also an animation of someone singing and someone snuggling a puppy, as well as a table and two chairs - the symbol you've associated with 'dinner'.

“It’s alright, Nimh. Really. You couldn’t have known...neither of us could have. I’ll just have to remember to close my eyes whenever we kiss from now on, just in case.”

His cheeks go scarlet. “W-well, you know, that was...not really my first kiss, since it was on my cheek, but...um...”

“You’ve really never kissed anyone?” You ask, shocked. “I didn’t expect someone so handsome to have never been kissed. Not even when you were in high school?”

“I was too busy with my studies, and then I did an internship for the modelling company as a PA, and then...well, you know how busy that is. I just...didn’t have time...”

“I guess being turned into a rabbit really was good for you.”

His cheeks colour again. “A-anyway, I was hoping that...we could go out somewhere today? I’ll treat you this time, though, yeah?”

“Alright. What do you want to do?”

 

And that’s how you find yourself at the beach, despite not knowing how to swim. Nimh calls to you from the water.

 _It can’t be that hard, surely? And I won’t even go in that far. I’ll just stick to the shallows and splash around a bit. No harm. Just getting my feet wet,_ you think, forcing yourself to go closer to the water’s edge. You’re not sure why you’re afraid of the water, but you have a sneaking suspicion that it has something to do with the poster on the back of your bathroom door when you were younger, which featured all kinds of sea creatures, but your eyes had always been drawn to the depths, where a sinister-looking octopus lurked.

Shaking your head, you chase the image from your mind and take another step. The water laps at your toes, and you hum at the feeling – it’s oddly pleasant. Where the sand was gritty beneath your feet, the water is cool and soothing. You step further into the sea.

Before you know what you’ve done, you’re knee deep in the water. Your breath becomes shallow. _It’s just water._ You tell yourself. _Like a bath. It’s fine. It’s just a salty, salty bath._

You walk even further into the waves and meet with Nimh, you is smiling at you.

“Hi! Good to see you in the water!”

“Uh...yeah.” You say, trying hard to stop your voice from shaking.

He blinks at you and frowns. “Cold?”

“Uh...yeah...”

“Don’t worry, you’ll warm up soon.” He assures you, throwing you a beach ball. “We can toss this around until you warm up, then we’ll go for a swim!”

“Sure, sounds good, Nimh.”

_It can’t be that hard. Even children can do it. It’ll be fine. Just follow what Nimh does._

Even with your reassurances, your eyes flick over to the life guard tower. You can’t see into it, and that makes your heart hammer in your chest. What if they’re not watching?

“Hey! (Y/N)! Throw it back!” He’s moved a bit away, holding his arms up to receive the ball.

Snapping back to the moment at hand, you toss the ball back to Nimh, and enjoy a ten-minute game of catch with him. He comes back over, close enough to talk without shouting.

“Are you warmed up?”

“Um...yeah.”

He frowns at you again. “Are you sure you’re alright? You’re not as talkative as usual.”

“Nimh, I...I can’t...” You look out at the ocean, and are bombarded with images of octopuses and jellyfish and squids. Your head sways and your vision blacks out.

When you come back to, you’re being swept out to sea, your head under the water. Panicking, you fight your way to what you hope is the surface. You break and take a huge breath. “Help!” You cry, waving your arms wildly. You go back under, tugged by the current, but you claw your way back.

“Help!” You scream when you surface again, and suddenly, strong arms are around you, dragging you to shore.

“I’ve got you.” The person who saved you says. “You can rest easy now. Sorry it took me more than four seconds. I’m only half the lifeguard I once was...”

When you get back to shore, you cough up water, and Nimh runs to your side, patting you on the back. “Are you alright?” He asks. You nod, and he launches into rushed sentences. “I’m so sorry. You just were suddenly under, and then you started getting pulled away by the current. You were out of my reach before I could do anything.”

“Nimh, it’s alright.” You say, your throat rasping with the salt residue. Your vision is blurry from the water, and they feel itchy. “I’m never coming to the beach again, I swear.”

“Hey, you’re a chicken!” Nimh exclaims, and you turn your eyes to your rescuer, whose fuzzy outline _does_ resemble a very large chicken.

“What of it?” He asks suspiciously.

“I’m sorry.” You say. “It’s my fault you’re a chicken. You see, I was at the zoo, and I accidentally gave everyone there cursed water.”

“Oh. I see. I...don’t suppose you know any way to reverse it?”

A great chasm of a silence stretches between you. It’s Nimh who breaks it. “How about we go get some ice cream and we’ll discuss it then?”

“Well, I’m still on duty, but I’d be happy to when I’m done. Do either of you have the time?”

Nimh goes to his bag and gets his phone. “It’s almost three now.”

“Cool. I get off in an hour.” He smiles down at you. “Try not to drown.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere near the water again.” You assure him, and he walks off, his tail feathers swishing in the sea breeze.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Nimh asks after he’s brought your stuff over to where the chicken guy dropped you.

“Yeah. I just...I can’t swim. I’m kinda...afraid of the ocean.” You say, blushing deeply.

“Why didn’t you tell me? We could have gone to that theme park again. Or to a restaurant...”

You trace circles in the sand. “I’m pretty self-conscious about it, you know? It kinda...stems from something silly. I always meant to get over it and learn, but I never got around to it.”

“It’s alright. Plenty of people can’t swim. There’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

You keep tracing circles. “Can we...talk about something else?”

“Sure. We can talk about anything you want.”

So you spend the next hour talking about books and cats and your childhoods, until the shadow of a chicken falls over you. You both look up and see the chicken life guard.

“Hey, so my shift’s over, and ice cream sounds really good right about now.”

“Sure thing.” Nimh says and stands. “Do you want to wait here, or should we move to somewhere more shady?”

“Shady, definitely.” He replies. “Sun is good, but only in small doses. And uh, I hope you don’t mind, but I’m vegan, so...um, there’s a vegan ice cream stall this way. They’re really good.” He starts walking in what seems to be a random direction with a spring in his step.

“Vegan ice cream?”

“Yeah, they make it from coconut milk instead of cow milk. So, every bite is a little bit of coconutty goodness! You should really try the caramel swirl. It’s full of sugar, but sometimes that’s good, you know?”

“You seem really excited about vegan ice cream...”

“Shouldn’t I be?” He asks, completely honestly, and you stare back at him.

“What’s your name?” Nimh asks in order to break the strange silence that settles over you.

“Oh! Excuse me. My name is Kelby. And...you?”

“My name is Nimh, and this is (Y/N). It’s good to meet you, Kelby.”

“It’s good to meet you, too.”

By now, you’re standing in line to order your ice creams. Nimh speaks up. “I promised (Y/N) that I would treat (him/her/them) to something before we left, and you saved (his/her/their) life, so I’ve got this one. Tell me what you both want, and go sit down. Start discussing the curse business. I’ll be over soon.”

“Well, thank you!” Kelby says. “I’d love the caramel, if you would be so kind.”

“Um...just...uh...coconut, I guess. May as well get the authentic experience, right?”

Nimh laughs lightly. “Right you are. I might go for the same thing.”

You lead Kelby over to a table. “So, are you two dating?” He asks.

“Of a sort. We didn’t even know each other before this curse thing happened, but we’ve been spending a lot of time together since. I’m...not really sure how he feels about me, but I like him well enough. Anyway, we need to talk about this curse.”

“Yes, of course.”

“So, at the moment, it’s a bit more complicated than just turning you back. So far, all we’ve gotten to is ‘mostly human’. You’ll notice that Nimh isn’t a rabbit anymore, but still has the ears and tail of one.”

Kelby’s head swivels until he’s looking directly at Nimh. “Ah, I see. It blends in so well I didn’t notice before.”

“Yeah, so...the way we got him to that point was with a kiss, but I don’t think I can just go around kissing animals until they turn back. I think there has to be a...a connection or something. You know, budding feelings or...” You trail off, your face heating.

“Right, so spending time together and going on dates and stuff?”

“Yeah.”

“Right. Well, thank you, and I guess I’ll leave you two to it.” He says, and stands to leave.

“Wait! I mean, there’s no reason I can’t...get to know you, too. I’m sure Nimh will be alright with me spending time with everyone I changed, at least until I change them back. Besides, he seems fine with me spending time with Volks.”

He sits back down somewhat reluctantly. “How many others have you met?”

“Just Nimh and Volks...and now you. I have no idea how many boys were transformed.”

“Just boys?”

“Yeah. Even though a few women drank the water, for some reason, only the men were affected.”

“Hmm, sounds strange...”

“I’ve honestly stopped questioning it. Everything about this is weird.”

“Fair enough.”

Nimh returns with the ice creams. “So, is everything explained?” He asks as he hands them out.

“Yeah. Nimh, you’d be alright with me...talking with all the boys, right? All the ones I changed?”

“Of course.” He says with a shrug. “You feel responsible, right?” You nod. “So you’d feel bad if you just gave up on everyone else just to spend time with me, right?” You nod again. “So there you have it. I don’t want you to feel bad for spending time with me when you could be helping others. In fact, I’ll help you help everyone else.”

“So, you’ll help me?” Kelby asks hopefully.

“I’ll try.” You and Nimh respond together.

“Honestly, I’m just appreciative of the promise of effort. I went to the hospital when this all started, and they just told me to go to KFC. They even offered to call them for me!”

You eat your ice creams while sharing friendly conversation, and you feel good. It’s been a while since you spent quality time with friends, and it makes you feel warm inside as you laugh together. You arrange to meet Kelby tomorrow at five thirty, just before sundown, so you can go for a run, before parting ways. He takes his car, Nimh hops onto a bus going into the city, and you take the bus going to the suburbs.

You’re smiling the whole way home.

When you enter your apartment, the fairy is there. “Busy day today.” She chirps.

You groan. “Why can’t you just leave me alone?” You take off your shoes and coat, leaving them by the front door. “I’m honestly wondering if you’re the one who mixed up the carts so I would land in all this mess.”

She’s gone when you turn back, but she’s left a pile of money on your kitchen counter.

You sigh and get ready for bed, barely able to keep your eyes open. She was right about it being a long day. Your head is pounding, your eyelids drooping. You’re almost asleep before you even get into bed.

 

Day 7

 

You stare at your ceiling and wonder if you should start a diary about this. ‘One week since the incident, and so far, I’ve met three boys, been rescued by two and kissed one. One is an adorable, kindhearted muffin, one is a mean wolf, and the third is an enthusiastic vegan chicken.

Sighing, you stretch and get out of bed, dressing for the day ahead.

You decide it’s probably time to go back to Volks and see if he’s any different from yesterday.

When you get to his den, he’s just finishing up eating a rabbit. You suppress a shiver and try not to think about Nimh.

“Hey, Volks,” you say cautiously, keeping well out of his range.

He looks up. “Hi. I um...I realised last night that I...I never asked your name...”

 _Of course you didn’t_. You hold your tongue and remind yourself to breathe and stay calm. Returning his saltiness will get you nowhere. You need to be patient. “It’s (Y/N). Did you...want to do something today?”

“Um...I don’t know. Did you have something in mind?”

“How about those boats down on the river? They’re always fun.”

“I suppose. Just so long as I don’t get wet. Waiting for my fur to dry is a nightmare.”

“I’ll make sure you don’t.” You say, falling into step beside him as he leads the way down to the river. When you get there, you pay for three hours on the water, then help Volks into a boat.

It tilts dangerously, but once you’re both on, it stabilises and you carry on your merry way, paddling down the river at a leisurely pace.

“So,” you say, hoping to start some conversation. “You mentioned your PA Nimh. I suppose you already know he was transformed along with the rest of you.”

“Yeah, I do.” He says, turning moody.

You immediately change the subject, not wanting a repeat of yesterday. “How did you find modelling?”

“It’s good.” He says with a shrug, watching the scenery slide by. “People kinda have to wait on you, and there’s never a shortage of people who want to flirt with you. But I’ve found that not many of them really want to get to know you for you. They just want to have the privilege of having spoken to you, of having shaken your hand.” He rests his head on the side of the boat. “I guess I’m trying to say...sorry. For yesterday. I’m just so used to people disappearing that I’ve forgotten what it feels like to have someone come back, to keep trying. So...I suppose I’m also saying thanks.” He trials off, then shakes himself, sending loose hairs flying. “And that’s enough of that. What about you? How are you finding running around trying to break all these curses?”

“Tiring.” You sigh. “What have you been doing as a wolf?”

“Not all that much, really. Mostly, I’ve been trying to stay away from anyone who’s old, young or weak – they make me hungry.”

“That must be difficult.”

“Yeah, it is. Especially since a lot of parents bring their kids to the mountain trails.” He sighs again.

You’re quickly running out of things to talk about, and this date has barely even started. Definitely a red flag, but you flounder for something to say anyway.

That thing doesn’t come, however, and you’re left just sitting in the boat, pulling the oars. You seriously regret renting the boat for three hours.

You think back to your date with Nimh. It was never this awkward then, was it? You remember how you pulled his tail to stop him from falling in the river. Okay, so maybe it had been this awkward. But it hadn’t felt so…

 _I don’t like him._ The realisation hits you like a brick to the face. You enjoyed the awkwardness with Nimh because you’d thought it cute, because you’d liked him. Because you’d wanted to try and make it work.

You close your eyes and take a deep breath. This is a similar situation. You just have to like Volks. No matter what he’s said in the past, he’s apologised for it, so you have to forgive him, and try again.

After another few deep breaths, you open your eyes and give Volks a smile. “Where did you grow up?”

 

Three hours later, you’re feeling much better about spending more time with Volks. Since you’d both put in effort, neither of you had said anything snippy, and you’d ended up enjoying yourself.

Volks is now dripping wet, having fallen into the river while trying to nudge you in, and you weren’t much better off; the splash that followed Volks’ swan dive into the water had soaked everything.

You’d dragged him out of the water and endured the inevitable shakedown, getting splattered with even more water.

Now, you make your way over to a stack of towels and ask if anyone’s using them. After being given the all-clear, you bring one back to Volks and towel him off. His cheeks colour, and he gives you a small smile.

“Thanks.”

“That’s alright. Was there anything else you wanted to do? I’ve got an appointment in a few hours, but I’ve still got some time.”

“I was kind of hoping to get a nap in, actually. I had too much fun, I think.”

“Alright. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Some of his usual demeanour slips into place as he shrugs. “Do whatever you want.” Even so, you sense that he really would enjoy the company.

As you’re leaving, he calls out your name. “Don’t get the wrong idea, but...you’re not so bad. You’re good people.” After a pause, he adds, “thanks for today.” Then, with a flick of his tail, he turns and bounds off into the woods.

You find yourself walking downriver towards the beach, even though it’s still a few hours before you’re due to meet Kelby. From here, it’s over three hours on foot, so you take a bus the rest of the way, and before long, you’re stepping off onto sand.

After a bit of searching, you find Kelby on his lunch break, sitting under an umbrella on the beach and eating a salad. “Hi!” You say, sitting down next to him. “How’s it going?”

“Good. I haven’t needed to scoop anyone out of the ocean today, so it’s already going better than yesterday. Not that I regret the find I scored yesterday, but it’s never fun to have to fill out the paperwork when someone almost drowns. Of course, it’s also a bonus that no one has to deal with the traumatic experience of almost drowning.” He looks over at you. “How are you holding up? I know it can’t be fun to come back here when...”

“No, it’s fine. As long as I don’t look at the water. I’d rather look at you anyway.” He blushes deeply, and you feel a lick of pride. “I suppose my flirting skills have gotten better?”

“Well, I never really got to experience the baseline, so I wouldn’t know, but it’s definitely working on me.”

You laugh. “That’s good. So, after our run today, did you want to go for dinner?”

“Sure thing. I’ll just message my boyfriend to see if that’s okay.”

“You...you have a boyfriend?”

He laughs. “No, but it’s flattering that you think I might have one. I was just hinting that you might want to run that by Nimh. He seemed pretty iffy about you hanging out with me.”

“Really? He said it was fine yesterday.”

He sighs and shakes his head. “You clearly didn’t see the look on his face when he said it.” He looks at you with serious eyes. “I’m not interested in getting between you two if you really like him, and it seems to me that you do. So, if you want to run off into the hills with him and spend as much time as you can with him, I’ll understand fully. In fact, I’ll be the first to wish you well.”

“No. I have to finish this first. Maybe, when it’s all over, I will run off into the hills with him, but not yet.” You lie back next to him, breathing deeply. “So how old are you, Kelby?”

“Twenty. Why? Checking I’m legal?”

“Something like that.” You yawn. “Man, I’m feeling really washed out. Mind if I doze here while you finish up?”

“Knock yourself out.” He says with a wink, and you smile at each other. “I’ll see you in a bit.” He packs up, but leaves the umbrella and the towel you’re lying on. It takes almost no time at all before you’re fast asleep.

 

You come half awake when something is draped over you, but you do nothing more than pull it tighter around you, shivering slightly, before you go back to sleep.

When you next wake up, it’s almost dark. “Damn.” You say, remembering your arrangements with Kelby. He’s sitting on the beach next to you, and looks over when you speak. “I’m sorry, Kelby. What time is it?”

“It’s almost seven.” He says, getting to his feet. “And it’s fine. It seemed like you really needed the rest. I went for the run anyway, after I gave you that blanket. I’m going to need it back, by the way. It’s kind of property of the life guard tower.”

“Oh, yeah. Sorry.” You say, shaking the sand out of it and folding it. He tucks it under one wing and trots across the sand to the guard tower, where he disappears for a minute, coming back empty-handed. By the time he’s back, you’ve closed his umbrella and shaken out his towel.

You carry them for Kelby as you walk with him. “I really am sorry for sleeping through our run, Kelby.”

“It’s fine.” He assures you. “I was kind of worried, though. Are you alright?”

“Yeah, it’s just a lot to deal with, meeting three boys I accidentally turned into animals and spending time with them, trying to find a way to turn them back.”

“It certainly sounds like it.” He says sympathetically. “Are you sure you’re still up to that dinner?”

“Yeah, of course.” You’d almost forgotten about it, but you want to make it up to Kelby, even if he says it’s okay. “Do you have anywhere in mind? I’m afraid I don’t know any restaurants that are vegan friendly.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll show you.” He visibly perks up when you say ‘vegan’, so suddenly it makes you smile. He’s very clearly passionate about the subject, so you ask him about it as you walk towards what he claims is the best vegan restaurant in town.

 

After a very pleasant dinner, you leave the restaurant with a big smile on your face. “Well,” you say as you’re about to part ways, “I had a lot of fun tonight. Maybe we could make a bit of a habit of this?”

“Sure.” He replies. “I’m busy tomorrow, but the day after, we could do this again and actually go for a run together.”

Your cheeks heat. “I’m so sorry about that.”

“Don’t worry. Just promise me you’ll go home and sleep, okay? You need to take care of yourself, too.”

“I will. And I’ll see you here Monday afternoon for our run. I’ll probably come by around four. Sound good?”

“Sounds perfect.” Before he leaves, he has one more thing to say. “Would it be alright if, when you’ve turned me back into a human, or at least mostly-human, I teach you how to swim? You’re...really missing out. It’s lots of fun.”

You pause, thinking back to the fear you felt when your head was under the water yesterday. “I’ll think about it.”

“Okay. Well, I’ll see you on Monday.”

“Looking forward to it.”

True to your word, as soon as you get home, you collapse onto your bed and fall fast asleep.

 

Day 8

 

As you wake, the sun shining on your face, you realise that your phone is ringing. Groping around for it, you finally find it pushed underneath your pillow. You don’t manage to pick up in time, but you do catch a glimpse of the caller.

You call them back. “Hi, Nimh. What’s up?”

“I just got a call from the RSPCA, and they wanted to ask if I was free to do some volunteer work. I was just wondering if you wanted to come and join me?”

“I’d love to.” You reply immediately, getting out of bed and making your way into the kitchen. “When do we start?”

“Um, this Friday. If that...works out for you? But I kinda was also wondering...a few of my friends and I are going to this karaoke bar tonight, and I thought I might...ask if you wanted to come...with us?”

“Absolutely. Just tell me where I’m going, what kind of thing I should wear and what time, and I’ll be there.”

“Oh! Okay. Well, it’s just a casual venue, it’s called ‘the Lark’, and it’s in the city, on Helena street. It starts at six thirty. I’ll come around before hand and we can take a bus there.”

“Sounds like a lot of fun. I’ll see you then.”

“Okay. Have a good day.” He says, sounding giddy.

You look around your apartment after he’s hung up and sigh. “Looks like it’s time for a clean-up.” You mutter and get into your cleaning clothes.

 

Hours later, you catch a glimpse of fur outside your window, and you suddenly remember Volks. Luckily, all that’s left to do is your last load of washing so you pile it all in, dump in the washing powder and set it going before taking off.

When you get to Volks’ den, he’s waiting outside for you. “I’m so sorry, I got lost in cleaning. My apartment was so dirty...”

“Whatever.” He huffs, turning his back on you and stalking back into his den.

“I bought you a sorry gift.” You say, fishing out the lint roller from your backpack. “I thought, even if you couldn’t use it on yourself, to get rid of your loose fur, you could at least chew on it or something.”

His nose pokes out from the darkness, and he sniffs it. Slowly, almost cautiously, he emerges fully. “Alright, fine. You’re forgiven.” He takes the lint roller in his teeth and carries it back into his den. “I’ll probably bury it later.” He says, brushing against your leg as he walks past. “So, where do you want to go?”

Despite your earlier dislike of him, you find yourself smiling at the prospect of spending the day with him. “Well, I’m meeting with Nimh later, and I’m sure he won’t mind if you tag along. We’re going to a karaoke bar.”

“Oh. He...invited me to go while he was my agent, or PA, whatever you want to call him.”

“Did you ever go?”

“...No.”

“Why not?”

He sighs and rolls his eyes. “Look, he was my handler, basically. I didn’t really...want to hang out with him.”

“You thought he was being nice only because it was his job? You wanted to keep it professional?”

“Something like that.” He sighs again. “Can we talk about something else?”

“Only if you say you’ll come.”

“Fine.”

“I was thinking we might spend a few hours at the theme park.” You say, heading for the bus station.

“Sounds good.” He walks with you as you make your way back down the mountain.

“How do you find it, living up here?”

“It was difficult for the first day or so. I had to keep fighting off other wolves and coyotes, but now that I’ve established my territory, it’s been peaceful. I usually wake up before the sun rises, so I get to watch it. It’s...you know.”

“Pretty?”

“Yeah.”

You smile and relax your hands, allowing them to brush close to Volks’ fur. When he doesn’t pull away, you pet him more firmly. He sits next to you while you’re waiting for the bus, allowing you to scratch behind his ears and under his chin. His tail even starts thumping on the ground, making you laugh.

When the bus comes, he bounds up the steps, leaving you to pay your way to the theme park. You sit next to him, sighing happily when he rests his head on your shoulder.

“You know, you’re not all that bad, Volks.” You whisper to him, knowing he’ll hear you. “Thank you for making the effort to be nice.”

He licks your neck and nuzzles into you, his wet nose cold against your skin.

 

“It’s really big!” He exclaims when you disembark from the bus.

“You’ve never been before?”

“No. I’ve been to the theme parks in Hollywood and Orlando, and tens of other cities with more famous theme parks. Why would I waste my time on this one?”

“So you just didn’t expect such a ‘small town’ to have a big theme park?”

He shrugs, already walking towards the gates. It’s a sunny day, so the park is busy, but the lines are moving quickly, so it’s not long before you’re looking at all the rides which tower above you.

“What should we do first?” You ask, watching him gape at everything. “Do you want to get some ice cream?”

“Uh, I’ve found out that being a wolf makes one very lactose intolerant. How about a roller coaster?”

“Alright. Sounds like a plan.” You lead the way to the newest, fastest roller coaster. “Look good?”

“Absolutely.”

As you wait in line, you do get a few looks, but no one challenges you or runs away screaming. _Maybe they assume he’s trained, since he’s with me?_

You decide not to worry about it, just like last time you were here. You’re honestly almost done with the questioning of your situation. _After all this,_ you think, _surely there isn’t anything left to question._

You’re seated on the roller coaster before long, and you try your best not to look nervous. You’re not nervous about yourself; you’ve always been fine with roller coasters – you just hope that Volks won’t slide out of his seat. Nimh was small enough that he could hold onto the bar, but Volks is of a very different shape. You don’t have long to worry about it, because all too soon, you’re rocketing off.

“That was so much fun!” Volks cheers as he exits the ride. “Let’s do it again!”

You oblige him and get back in line. Before long, you’ve gone three times in a row.

“Again,” he says, but you’re feeling woozy.

“No, please, I...I need to just...walk this off.” You say, already wobbling on your feet.

“Alright. Let’s see what else this place has to offer.” He starts padding away, and you follow him as best you can while weaving around on shaky legs.

 

After just half an hour, you realise you’re going to have to go home in order to get ready to go out tonight. You inform Volks of this, and his mood seems to darken.

“Look, if you really don’t want to come, I won’t force you. I just think you’ll benefit from meeting some new people.”

He shakes himself. “I think I’ll pass, then. No offence, but I’m not really so hot on karaoke.”

You sigh, but let it go. “Alright. But I won’t have any time to escort you home. If you want to, you can hang out at my place while I’m out.”

“No, that’s okay. I’ll find my own way home.” He rubs himself against your legs twice and licks your fingers a few times. “Thank you for today. But, you know, don’t get used to having me around. If you can’t break this curse, I’m probably going to run away to the true wilderness. Or wall street.” He nuzzles into your hand, as if trying to convey that he’s joking. You stroke his muzzle. “A wolf’s gotta do what a wolf’s gotta do. Speaking of, I’m very hungry, and need to find myself some dinner.”

“Okay. I’ll see you later, Volks.”

“See ya!”

With that, he bounds down the street. You watch him until he’s out of sight. The bus pulls up not long after, and you climb on, your mind still on Volks as you approach your apartment. Nimh is already waiting outside.

“Hi. Sorry I’m late.” You say, unlocking your front door. You invite Nimh in and tell him to make himself at home before disappearing into the bathroom and taking a quick shower.

When you’ve finished, you dress in something loose before picking up three separate outfits and walking out with them on coat hangers.

“So,” you say, “I have this cute little dress,” you hold out a three-quarter-length blue dress with polka-dots, “or this stylish button-up with jeans,” you hold out the second outfit, “or something somewhere in between.” You hold out the last outfit, which has a flowing white top and form-fitting black trousers. “What do you think?”

“Um...wow...I...I think all of them would look amazing on you.”

You frown at him. “Come on, you have to do better than that! Tell me what you think.”

He steps closer and takes a hold of the outfits, then holds each one up to your body, looking at each for a few seconds before pursing his lips. He discards the dress, but seems undecided about the other two. Finally, he chooses the button-down. “This one.”

You stand on tip-toe and kiss his cheek. “Thank you.” You take all three back to your room and get changed. After a moment of contemplation, you change the earring in your ear from the clear stud to a ruby-red one. You swing out of your door, posing.

“What do you think?”

His breath hitches, and you smile.

“I’ll take that as a good sign.” You tug on his hand. “Come on! Let’s go. And I’m buying dinner, no arguments!”

When you get to the bus stop, you’re already cold, and you’re regretting not bringing a jacket. Something heavy falls over your shoulders. “I saw this on the hook by the door and thought I’d better grab it just in case.” He says, smiling.

“Thanks, Nimh. You’re a life saver.” You tug the fabric closer around you.

Nimh chuckles. “I think you might be mistaking me for Kelby.” He says. Then, “How did your run go? That was yesterday, right?”

“Yeah, it was...well, it didn’t actually happen...”

“Really? Why not?”

“I kind of...fell asleep. I was just out like a light from about one in the afternoon to six. We went out and had dinner anyway, and then I fell asleep again as soon as I got home. I guess I was just wiped out.”

“Too much time hanging around cute boys.”

“Nimh, are you sure you’re okay with this?”

He shrugs. “It’ll make you happy. I’m okay with whatever makes you happy. If it’s not me, then that’s okay. If it is, sure, I’ll be over the moon, but I don’t need it to be.”

You lean against him a little. “Thank you, Nimh. And I promise, no matter what happens, we’ll still be friends after this.”

He loops his arm around your shoulders. “I’m glad.”

You look up into his face, and you want, more than anything, to kiss him, but the bus pulls up to the stop.

It being rush hour, the bus is pretty full, and there are no free seats, so you have to stand pressed close together. Nimh lets his arms curl around you. You reciprocate the hug, eventually dropping your head onto his chest. It rises and falls as he breathes, and you find yourself lulled into a light sleep.

Nimh jostles you when he shifts. “This is our stop.” He says softly.

You look around, and notice that most of the seats are now empty. Nimh stood there through the whole ride just so you could catch a little bit of sleep. “Thank you, Nimh.” You say, suddenly glad that Volks decided not to come. As you walk down the street, you slip your hand into his.

His cheeks colour, but he doesn’t say anything about it. It’s not quite dark out yet, but the sky is tinged a fiery orange, which bleeds into the clouds and turns them pink.

“It’s nice out.” You comment, squeezing his hand softly. You’re not sure what you want to communicate to him with that move, but he seems to appreciate it.

“Yeah, it is.” He bumps into your side, seemingly accidentally, but he’s smiling like he’s just done something very clever.

You bump him back, and soon, your hips are swinging wildly, pushing at each other. Suddenly, he stops short.

“Here it is.”

You look up at the place, and see a huge caricature of a lark sitting on a branch affixed to the front of the building. Little notes are coming out of its open beak. He leads you inside and heads over to a table in the back corner, where two tables have been pushed together. Standing around them are five young men and women. They all exclaim happily when they see Nimh.

“Hey! It’s so good to see you!” A girl in a red dress says, throwing her arms around his neck. She turns to you. “And who is this handsome young specimen?”

“This is (Y/N). I met (him/her/them) at the zoo last week.”

“Ah!” She holds out her drink. “Well, welcome to the party!” She points to the person to her immediate left. “This is Casey.”

Casey holds up her hand in greeting before pushing her bright blue hair back and tying it into a pony tail.

“This is Anthony.” A slightly older man with dark hair and caramel skin greets you. “Everyone just calls him Tony.” She moves on to the next two people, who look almost identical except for the fact that one is a woman and the other is a man. “That’s Jess and Jason. They’re Tony’s kids.”

Both of them ignore you completely in favour of undressing Nimh with their eyes. You notice Nimh blushing furiously next to you, and you squeeze his hand in what you hope is a reassuring way.

“Don’t mind them; they’ve been in love with Nimh since they were six years old.” They both shush her, and the table erupts in laughter. “And I’m Ebony. I know, real original name, but the state’s naming system wasn’t working the day I was born, apparently.” She reaches over and gives you a quick hug.

Casey and Ebony shuffle to either side to allow you and Nimh into the circle. “So,” Ebony says, “tell us a bit about yourself, (Y/N).”

 

An hour later, the attention has shifted away from you and gone to the stage, where the first ‘performer’ of the night has gained control of the microphone. You cover your ears really wishing she hadn’t. The screeching emanating from her mouth could probably shatter glasses.

When she’s finally done, Nimh taps your shoulder. “Come up with me?”

“Sure.” You say, despite the sudden butterflies in your stomach. You follow him to the stage, and he helps you up.

“What song do you want?”

You worry at your lip for a few seconds. “Do they have ‘We Will Rock You’? That’s always a good one.”

He plugs it in, and people cheer when the music starts up. You and Nimh rock out together, and you feel your nerves melt away as everyone stomps and claps along with the rhythm.

“That was awesome, newbie!” Casey says when you return, clapping you on the back. “You ever done karaoke before?”

“No, but I’ve been to a few bars with karaoke options before.”

“Well, I’m glad I was here to witness you losing your karaoke virginity.” She says, smiling at you suggestively.

Ebony scowls at her. “Hey! Whose girlfriend are you?”

“Sorry, babe, but someone more attractive has captured my attention.”

“I don’t think I’m more attractive than Ebony...” You say self-consciously, feeling your face flush.

Ebony just rolls her eyes. “Don’t worry, she says that about every new person she sees.” She reaches over and ruffles Casey’s hair. “Isn’t that right, _babe_?”

Casey waves her off, but she’s laughing. She quiets down as the next person takes the stage.

The evening continues in similar fashion. Casey and Ebony take the stage together, receiving cheers from the regular patrons before they’ve even started to sing, and Tony has his turn immediately after them, singing a beautiful rendition of ‘What A Wonderful World’. His children, Jess and Jason, don’t get up and participate – they barely even seem aware of anything other than Nimh.

Just as the night’s winding down, you take Nimh’s hand and lead him to the stage again, this time selecting a song with two parts. It’s cheesy; an enthusiastic rendition of ‘A Whole New World’ from _Aladdin_ , but you’re both smiling the whole time.

When you’ve finished, your table whistles and cat calls, Ebony being the loudest of them.

“Woo! Look at you two!” She says as soon as you’re within earshot. “A modern pair of lovebirds if I’ve ever seen them.” She scoots closer to Casey and elbows her. “Sorry, but I think this one’s taken.”

You both blush deeply, but you don’t hesitate to reach out and grab Nimh’s hand. You smile at each other.

“Aw! You two should kiss!” Casey says, before her girlfriend shushes her and covers her mouth with her hand.

Nimh’s face is getting even more red, and Ebony elbows Casey again. “Now you did it! You scared them off!” She pulls herself away from her girlfriend. “You two should go have something at the bar before it closes. The rest of us are taking off.” She shoots a warning look at the twins and then Casey, who all ignore her.

Tony finishes his drink and sets it back down on the table. “Alright, you two; fun’s over.”

“But dad-” Jess says, uttering her first words of the night.

“No arguing. If you wanted a turn on the stage, you should have gone earlier.” He says sternly.

Neither Jess nor Jason look happy about it, but they have no further protests as they follow their father out of the bar, leaving their half-finished drinks behind.

Nimh leads you over to the bar. “Do you want anything to drink?” He asks.

“No. Besides, wasn’t I going to pay?”

He shrugs. “I don’t remember.”

“You’re a terrible liar.”

He shrugs again, fingering one of the bar mats. “I hope...that Casey and the others didn’t ruin your night.” He says quietly.

“Ruin it? No, they made it, Nimh.” You step up to the bar next to him and lean on it. “Are you alright?”

He blinks. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I just...” You shrug. “You looked really uncomfortable with the twins staring at you.”

“Oh. That.” He sighs. “It’s...I actually did go on a date with Jason once, just to placate him, but it was...well, he wouldn’t _say_ anything. He just sat there like a rock while I talked just to fill the silence. I don’t even remember what I said. It was honestly pretty creepy.”

“Well, watch yourself. They might be vampires.”

“Vampires?”

“Yeah, come to suck your blood.” You get on your tip toes and kiss his neck, opening your mouth and scraping your teeth against his soft, creamy skin. “I bet they would _love_ to do that to you.”

He squeaks in surprise and hides his face in his shoulder. “Why did you do that?”

You smile at him. “Nimh, will you look at me?”

He slowly turns his head to face you. You cup his cheek and, slowly enough so that he can pull away if he wants to, you lean in. When your lips connect, it’s only a soft contact. So soft it’s barely there. His right hand slips around the curve of your hip, not quite committing to holding you, but hovering on the verge.

You pull back and smile at him again. His cheeks are red, his lips parted slightly. After a few moments of just staring at each other, you let your hand fall from his face and grip his hand. “You ready to go home?”

He takes a breath like it’s his first and nods.

You lead him outside, and you both hiss as the cold night air slaps you in the face. Nimh’s nose is already red. “Do you want to come home with me, or take a bus to your place from here?”

“I...I should probably go back home. You know...my home.” He turns to you, mouth open to say something, but no words come out.

You take his hand again. “Thank you for tonight, Nimh. I had a really good time.”

“So did I. We should do it again sometime.”

“Definitely.” You wait awkwardly, wondering if he’s going to kiss you, wondering if it’ll just be a hug, or if he’ll just wave goodbye. He steps closer, and you look up at him, expectant, but he only brushes your hair back from your forehead before retreating.

“I’ll see you on Friday?”

“You can come around before Friday, Nimh. But yes, I’ll see you on Friday.”

“Okay.” He retreats further, despite this being the bus stop he needs, too. You turn when you hear an engine, and sigh when you see it’s your bus. You wave Nimh goodbye as you step on, and he occupies your mind the whole way home. You wonder if you really should have kissed him. Did it send the wrong message? What message did you _want_ to send, anyway?

You sigh and rest your head against the cool glass of the bus’ window, closing your eyes. You suspect that this won’t be the first time you ask yourself these questions, and you’re getting exhausted just thinking about it. _Why did this have to happen to me?_ You think helplessly.

 

When the bus finally gets to your stop, you get off and walk sleepily to your door. You’re so tired, you can barely see the door knob. Or maybe that’s because it’s dark…

You make your way inside and, before you can even take your clothes off, you fall onto your mattress and fall asleep.

 

Day 9

 

When you wake, you wake slowly. The first thing you notice is the sour taste in your mouth, and it’s that that helps you remember what happened last night. You smile to yourself.

Despite your uncertainty last night, you really don’t regret kissing Nimh. He is the sweetest young man you’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, and you’re genuinely enjoying the time you’re spending with him.

You get out of bed and have a shower, washing away the taste and smell of alcohol.

After getting clean, you dress and leave for the woods where Volks is, determined to have today be the day you turn him back into human form. With your mission at the forefront of your mind, you don’t notice Volks falling into step beside you.

“Smells like you had a good time last night.” He says, but he doesn’t sound sour about it. He actually sounds curious.

“Yeah, it was. I think you were probably right to stay here, though. I...you probably already know this, but I’m really...” You sigh and shake your head. “Never mind.”

“You like him?”

“Yeah.”

“Hmm.” He trots ahead of you and pulls a bone out of his cave. He lays down with it and starts gnawing at it.

You come over and sit with him. “What did you have to kill to get that?”

He grimaces. “I...didn’t really want to, but my new instincts...I’m fine with getting the rabbits and hares. They’re pests. But the deer...I used to look at them and think they’re beautiful, but now they just make my mouth water. I was just looking at the sunset last night when I saw one. She trotted by, no young or herd, just her. She was getting kind of old. Left behind, I guess.”

You stroke his fur. “I’m sorry.” You shift closer and scratch between his shoulder blades. “I’ve made it my mission to get you back to human today – or at least as far as I’ve gotten with Nimh. You’ll still have the ears, but...well, I hope it’ll make you feel a bit better.”

He looks at you with sad eyes. “Is that even possible? I mean, I know it’s barely been a week, but I already feel like...” He doesn’t continue, just gnaws halfheartedly on his bone.

You don’t stop stroking him, moving on to his back and sides. “I’ll get you back. Even if it takes years, I’ll get you back.”

The noise he makes comes from so deep inside him, you feel it in your hand.

“Did you want to do something with me today?”

He shrugs, but you can still see the list of his desires floating above his head. It shows a picture of the carnival fair that’s set up in town for the next month. You suggest the beach first, to which he wrinkles his nose.

“Wet dog smell, remember? It wasn’t pleasant last time, and it won’t be this time either.”

You shrug. “I kinda thought dogs liked the beach. Anyway, what about the fair? It won’t be in town long.”

He sighs and lets the bone fall from his mouth. “If you’d like to. I’m sure I’ll have fun as long as it’s with you.” He picks the bone back up and starts digging a hole, unearthing another three or four in the process of burying this one. “You’ve proven yourself to be one of those rare people who are worth getting to know.”

“Thanks, Volks. I hope you know I mean it when I say that I’m starting to like you, too.”

“Never said I liked you.” He grumbles, even while he smiles. “So...the fair, huh?”

“Yeah.” You smile. “Are you really so indifferent? It’ll be fun. I heard they have a few horror themed rides.”

He rolls his eyes. “We’re not even close to Halloween.”

“Maybe they know people like to be scared year-round.”

He grumbles further, but follows you back down the mountain anyway to the bus stop. Again, he lets you scratch his fur, and you take the opportunity to really get a feel for his canine form. It surprises you to realise that you’re going to miss stroking his fur. It didn’t bother you so much with Nimh because he was just as cute and cuddly as a human, but something tells you that Volks won’t be as happy for you to reach over and scratch at his scalp as Nimh. Not that you’ve really done that with Nimh…

The bus comes, and Volks curls up on your lap, resting his head on your shoulder, because there aren’t any other free seats.

 

When you get there, Volks is immediately attracted to the ghost ride they’ve set up, and you have a suspicion it’s because of the skeletons, but you don’t ask, and he doesn’t tell.

Halfway through the ride, he steals the femur of one of the skeletons and begins chewing on it. You’re chased off the ride after that, and he bounds away, bone in his teeth, laughing. He comes back to you ten minutes later with no bone.

“There.” He says, sounding very proud of himself. “No one’s gonna find it now.”

“Volks...” You start, but decide it’s not worth it. You sigh. “I’m really hungry. I didn’t really have a proper dinner last night...” _Did I even have breakfast this morning?_ You don’t remember – you’d been too focused on getting Volks back to human.

“Oh! There are food stalls over here.” He says, leading you deeper into the fair grounds. You buy and share a plate of chips, which Volks eats most of, but he looks guilty about it, so you buy another four. You barely manage to get enough to stop your stomach rumbling. “Sorry. Turns out I’m pretty hungry, too.”

You laugh softly and pet him. “That’s alright, Volks. Here, let’s buy something else. Did you want a raw carrot?”

“Sure.”

You buy two and watch with a smile while he gnaws his down. He looks at you expectantly when he’s done, so you buy another. Then another, and another. Finally, he looks sated.

“So, what else does this place have?”

“There’s another coaster, if you wanted to go on that one.”

He makes a face. “Aren’t temporary roller coasters really dangerous?”

“Fair enough. There’s a haunted house.”

“Ooh! That sounds like fun.”

“Please don’t steal any more props, Volks.”

He makes another, stranger face, which you assume is supposed to be a pout. “Do you have to ruin all my fun?” He whines, but agrees anyway.

As you enter, the darkness closes in, too thick for you to see. You reach out and touch Volks’ fur, asking him to guide you until your eyes adjust.

Even after they have, you keep your hand on his shoulder, feeling the muscles shift as he walks. You’d never really thought about the strength of wolves before, but you find yourself wondering if it’s similar to Volks’ strength.

Something jumps out at you, and you’re so startled, you let out a small scream, but it’s enough for Volks to leap into action, tackling the automaton and ripping its head off.

“Volks!”

“Sorry.” He says, sounding genuinely remorseful. “You just screamed and...”

“It’s fine. Just...let’s not do that again, okay?”

“Okay.” He comes back to your side and you return your hand to his fur.

The rest of the experience goes by without incident, but you sense that he’s tired. If you’re being honest, you’re feeling pretty tired yourself.

“Volks, where did you live before the woods? It’s just...when Nimh transformed, he wasn’t wearing any clothes. I just want you to be close to something to cover yourself with, just in case...”

“It’s actually within walking distance...” He says, leading the way out of the park and heading East. “I know you already know I’m a model and stuff, but...don’t be surprised by the size of it, yeah? It’s...just don’t be surprised.”

As you walk, you talk to Volks about just random things, but there’s a question that’s been burning inside you for the past day or so. “Volks, are you...I mean, do you even like (your gender)?”

“Yeah. I’m bi.” He frowns slightly. “I thought I told you.”

“No.” There’s a pause. “Do you...assume everyone knows?”

“No. I just...okay, maybe. But if I like someone, I’ll tell them.”

You raise your eyebrows sceptically. “Do you really?”

He growls softly. “Where did this come from? I thought you liked Nimh.”

“I do, but what if, in order to change you back, we’re going to have to have sex or something? I need to know how you’d feel about it.”

“And what about the other questions?”

“I’m just looking out for your future relationships.” You say with a shrug. “So...do you? Do you tell people you like how you feel about them?”

He sighs. “I wouldn’t really know. I haven’t really...apart from a few rare cases, I haven’t had crushes on people.” He shakes his head. “I’ve had lots of relationships, lots of sex, but...I’ve not really _felt_ it with a lot of people.”

“Is there anyone you like now?”

“Not...really? I don’t know. There was this really cute girl I was working with on my last shoot. We exchanged numbers, but then I got turned into a wolf, and I couldn’t really use my phone, you know?”

“Damn. I’m sorry.”

“Ah, it’s fine. Probably wouldn’t have worked out, anyway. I mean, what with the whole ‘moving around the world for different shoots’ thing. It’s hard to keep relationships alive when you have to keep leaving town for shoots and stuff.”

“I can imagine.” You say, even though you really can’t. “So what _is_ the good part of being a model?”

He turns a corner, and you’re faced with a mansion. “This.” He walks up to the gate and tries to key in the pin, but his claws scrape against it uselessly. “Can you...”

“Sure. Just tell me the code.” He hesitates. “Promise I won’t remember it.”

“Okay. Five five seven three.”

You tap the numbers, and the gate slowly grinds open. The driveway is relatively shorter than what you thought it’d be, but the actual building makes up for it. Just the front of the house is the size of...well, you’re not sure, but it’s certainly big enough to swallow up your entire apartment at least twenty times over. Volks nudges your leg.

“Hey, I thought we were here on a mission?”

“Right. Sorry.” You retrieve the spare key from underneath a pot blooming with small white flowers. “What are these?” You ask, surprised when Volks blushes.

“Sweet alyssum. Don’t...look them up.”

“Why not?”

He refuses to answer, instead padding into his huge house and sighing. “It’s good to be back here. I can’t wait to have an actual _bath._ ” He looks cheekily at you. “Care to join?”

“No, thanks. I have a run scheduled with Kelby.” You say, suddenly remembering the appointment. You look at your phone frantically, hoping that it’s not yet time. You sigh in relief when you see it’s only two. “Would you...mind taking me, actually?”

“Sure. If you don’t mind waiting around for a bit. I need to make sure I still remember how to drive.”

“As long as you don’t stick your head out the window and pant like a dog, I think we’ll be fine.”

He chuckles. “So...where do you want to do this?”

You go over to the couch and pull the blanket off.

“Hey! I’ll have you know that I’m the one who cleans this place!”

“That must be quite the task.” You say as you drape the blanket over his shoulders. “But you should relax. I just don’t want to see you naked right now.”

“Oh.”

You tuck the blanket around him, kneeling. When you’re done, you take a deep breath and kiss his cheek. You keep your eyes closed this time, but feel the tingly sensation the magical sparkles and smoke gives you.

“Wow. It actually worked.” He says, and you crack your eyes open. He has the blanket curled around his body, but what really draws your eyes is his face. He’s exceptionally handsome, which you were expecting, but you weren’t prepared for the startling sight of his amber eyes or the raven black of his hair. His jawline is so sharp it could probably cut paper, his nose in direct contrast, a smooth, soft line that accentuates his face perfectly.

“Wow indeed. I can see why you’re a model, now. You are...gorgeous.” You tear your gaze away and look at the clock on his living room wall. “But you need to get changed. It’s...I need to get to the beach.”

He chuckles at your reaction, but when you look up again, he’s halfway up the stairs.

 

When he comes back down, he’s in a loose white button up and black pants. “Alright. Just need to make sure I can drive before we go, and then we’re good.”

“Alright.”

You watch from the front steps as the car lurches around the yard until he gets a hold of the clutch. He rolls down his window.

“All set. Hop in.”

The drive to the beach is so much faster than the public transport system that you start to have an existential crisis. When the car finally stops, Volks looks at you with concerned eyes.

“Hey,” he says, nudging you, “you alright?”

“Yeah, I just...” You blink at the beach, impossibly in front of you despite the short time period. “You know, I’ve never actually been in a car before.”

“What?”

“Well, I lived out on a farm before moving to the city three months ago, remember? We walked to school. We rode the bus home. We took the bus into town and walked to the bus stop. I never got my licence before coming to the city, and I was too scared to try when I got here. Besides, I didn’t have anyone with an open licence to teach me. I...I’ve always taken the bus or trains.”

His hand comes to rest on your shoulder. “I have an open licence. I can teach you how to drive.”

“What? Really?”

“Yeah. Just...maybe when, you know...”

You lean over and kiss his cheek. “Wow. I...thank you so much. Are you...are you sure? I mean, I might...”

“Don’t worry. That’s a lot later in the future. I’ll take care of you.”

“Wow.” You sink back into your chair. “Hey, since you’re here, why don’t you come for the run with me? I’m sure Kelby won’t mind. And it’ll be good for you.”

He sighs, but he’s smiling. “Alright, fine. Lead the way.”

You spot Kelby sitting on the sand, legs awkwardly extended in front of him. “Hey, Kelby!” You call, waving. He turns to see you approaching.

He stands and smiles at you. “Hi, (Y/N)! Good to see you. I hope you’re well-rested this time. And who’s this with you?”

“Volks. He’s one other the other boys I transformed, newly back in human shape. Well, mostly human.”

Volks blushes. “He’s...a chicken.”

“Oh. Yeah, I kinda forgot to mention that. Sorry.”

Kelby just laughs. “So, what were you this morning?”

“A...a wolf.”

There’s a moment of silence. “I see. Well, I’m glad you’re not anymore.”

“Me too. So, I was told we’d be going for a run?”

“Of course.” Kelby starts jogging on the spot. “That’s the spirit! Right into it.” He pats Volks on the back with one wing. “I’m starting to like you already, Volks.” He jumps up and down a few times before stretching. “You might want to take off your shoes. Leave them here. No one ever touches my stuff.”

You and Volks take off your shoes, and you get unpleasant flashbacks as the sand wriggles between your toes, but they diminish when you look at Volks standing next to you, and disappear completely when you see Kelby flapping his wings in a ridiculous warm-up technique that probably worked better for him when he was human.

“So, are you two ready?” Both you and Volks nod. “Alright. Loser buys us all dinner!” He calls right before taking off.

 

Panting, you and Volks meet Kelby back at the towel. “Well, you kinda both lost, so...I guess you’ll just have to split it.”

“That was ridiculous.” You manage, chest heaving, heart hammering. “How do you even manage that?”

Volks looks about ready to faint. “That...would have been no problem...as a wolf. I swear, I got like...like...” He trails off, but you understand what he means.

“Hey Kelby...”

“Yeah?” He’s not even out of breath.

“Any chance we could eat somewhere not vegan? I don’t think Volks would be too into it.”

“Sure. There are a few places around where I eat with my fellow athletes sometimes that cater to both.” He says, already walking away, but when you don’t follow, he comes back. “Are you really that out of breath?”

“Yes. Just five minutes, Kelby.”

“Alright.” He sits next to you and you have a conversation about sports. After a little while, Volks joins in, telling Kelby about all the things he did to stay fit before. Before long, you’re forgotten completely, but you don’t mind. They both look happy, talking to each other.

After what feels like an hour, but is probably only fifteen minutes, you stand and brush the sand off your legs. “Well, I’m hungry. Should we pack up and head over?”

They look up like they had forgotten you existed. It should hurt, but it doesn’t. You’re just happy that Volks seems to be getting on with someone.

Kelby is the first to come back to his senses. “Right, of course. Sorry. Didn’t mean to make you feel left out.”

“Not at all. I might have to go home kinda soon anyway.”

“Then should we just go?” Volks asks. “I mean, you shouldn’t have to take the bus again.”

“No, no. I’ll be alright.”

“No. Stay.” Kelby says. “I really am sorry. We won’t forget you again, right Volks?”

Volks blushes. “R-right.”

After you’ve packed up, Volks lets Kelby walk ahead of you and hangs back to apologise. “I really didn’t mean to-”

“You _like_ him.” You chant like you’re twelve, and laugh when his cheeks colour. “Oh, Volks, this is good! I don’t mind, really. Just have a good time. Maybe we can even go on a double date with Nimh.”

Volks shakes his head. “What if he ends up liking Nimh better than me?”

“It won’t happen. I promise. He’s already met Nimh, and there wasn’t the same connection. Look, if you want to go on a few special dates with him first, that’s cool, but you should have confidence. He likes you. Now get up there and flirt his socks off.” You say, giving him a nudge.

“He’s not _wearing_ any socks.” Volks grumbles, but moves up and talks with Kelby anyway.

You smile at their backs. You just hope that the rules don’t require it to be you they fall in love with.

 

After dinner, Volks takes you home. “Hey,” he says before you get out, “thanks. I...I wouldn’t have met Kelby if you hadn’t invited me along.” He reaches over and takes your hand in his. “I...I’ve never felt like that. Like I didn’t need to protect myself. Not right after meeting someone.”

You smile at him warmly. “I’m sure Kelby is just as thankful as you are, Volks.” You kiss his cheek. “Tell me if anything juicy happens, alright?”

“Well, I’ll probably need your number to do that.”

“Smooth.” You say, handing over your phone. He puts in his number, then keys yours into his own. You go to leave, but he holds you back again.

“Just in case I...don’t get to later, I...I want to at least know what it’s like to kiss you. Like, really kiss you. If that’s okay? Just to say thanks...for everything.”

After a slight pause, you nod. He leans in, and you close your eyes. His lips meet yours and...it feels wrong. He pulls back after just seconds of contact.

“Wow. I’ve never felt _that_ before, either.” He laughs. “I guess we really weren’t meant to be, (Y/N).”

“Felt just as weird for you, huh?”

“Yeah.” He sighs and rests his head back against his seat. He chuckles, then exhales forcefully. “So...do you think we could go together for another run? At least until I get to know Kelby better? I think it would be weird if I went by myself on Wednesday. You know, having only met him once and all.”

“If that would make you more comfortable, sure.” You grab his hand and squeeze it, mimicking what he’d done just minutes earlier. “I just want you to be happy, Volks.”

Volks swallows, and a slow smile spreads across his face. “If I can get together with Kelby, I don’t think that’s going to be a concern for long.”

You both laugh. “Oh, I knew you liked him. Volks and Kelby sittin’ in a tree...”

“Come on, how old are you?” He asks, glaring for all of two seconds before you both burst into laughter again. “Right, that’s it. Out! Go on! Go! I need to go.”

“Alright. I’ll see you here at three?”

“Okay. Have fun ‘til then!”

“You too.”

As soon as you open your door, the fairy appears, but you’re ready for her this time.

“Tell me they can change each other by falling in love.”

She shrugs.

“That’s not bloody good enough. You didn’t say anything about _who_ they needed to fall in love with, just that they would need to do it. But I know how often magic has tricky loop holes. So tell me now if I’m going to have to crush his dreams because if we find out later that-”

“I honestly don’t know. This has never happened before. _Maybe_ they can change back on their own, maybe they can’t. I don’t know.”

“Then how did you know it would require love in the first place? How do you know it doesn’t require time, or a special vegetable, or a certain amount of non-cursed water?” You’re almost afraid to blink in case she disappears. Your legs are screaming at you, your feet are aching, but you need to know.

“I’m a love fairy, remember? I just know.”

You fight not to roll your eyes. “Alright, fine. Then you should know whether or not it works with _any_ love. And if you really don’t know, don’t come back until you _do_.”

You sigh and stomp past her, not caring if she disappears or not. When you turn around again, she’s not there, and you swear quietly at the empty air of your apartment. You get ready for bed, falling asleep almost instantly.

_At least my predicament has been good for one thing…_

 

Day 10

 

A faint tinkling sound wakes you. You open your eyes to see the fairy. You groan and roll over. “You’d better have the answer, asshole.”

“You’d better watch your tongue, _human_.” She shoots back, sounding less annoyed than...concerned.

Curious, you sit up and blink at your room until it comes into focus. There are four fairies there. One is the one you know all too well, but the other three are older than her.

“These are the matriarchs of our society. The royal family, if you will, and they’re the ones who cursed the water and assigned me to this case.”

“We understand you have questions. Questions Q-Bae is not authorised to answer. Please, ask whatever you wish.”

You pull your covers up over your bare chest. “Oh. Um...I really want to know...does it have to be _me_ they fall in love with? You see, two of the boys who were transformed are...they’re falling for each other, and I really like one in particular. Can’t I just stay with Nimh and let the others find love on their own?”

The three older fairies look perplexed. They put their heads together and whisper among themselves. Q-Bae goes pale and fidgets with the hem of her dress. When they finally part, they look troubled. “We see no reason that what you describe cannot happen, but...in the original rules, no allowances were made.”

“So you’re saying you don’t know?”

They all look very uncomfortable. “Essentially.”

You sigh heavily. “Perfect. Just perfect. And what about the fact that no one has reported any of them missing? Why aren’t there reports of talking animals on the news?”

“Oh, we just erase their memories as soon as they’ve seen them. No one else notices anything strange about them. If they’re having a conversation, they see a human, and if they’re petting them, they see an animal. It’s actually pretty easy.”

“So...what’s the point?”

“Point?”

“Yeah. Why curse the water in the first place?”

Of the three older fairies, one’s face colours, and the other two turn to look at him. “I...I might have...been a little bit bored...”

“Fantastic. Just. Bloody. Fantastic.” You sigh and close your eyes. “Alright, question time over. I’m done. I’ll get them to fall in love with each other and clean up your bloody mess, and then I’m done.”

“Are you sure you’ve got no more questions? We’re only allowed in this world once every hundred years, so if you have any more questions, we won’t be able to answer them.”

“Nope. I’m g-wait. Why me?”

They shrug simultaneously. “Chance.”

You groan and sink back into your pillows. “Of course it was. What else would it be? What did I expect? Does nobody think _anything_ through?”

“We’re very sorry.” Says the fairy on the right. “We know it must be distressing, but we do thank you for helping us with this.”

“Helping? No, no, the only people I’m helping are the boys I transformed. You...if I could, I’d swat you all like flies.” You shake your head, barely able to contain your rage. “Get out. Get out of my house. I don’t want any more _explanations_. I’ll fix this, and then I never want to see another fairy ever again!”

Before you’ve even finished your tirade, they’ve all disappeared, even Q-Bae.

_Q-Bae, huh? Couldn’t even tell me your name._

There’s a knock at your door. Pulling your bathrobe around yourself angrily, you stomp your way to your front door and yank it open. “What?” You snap, immediately regretting it when you see Nimh’s sweet face looking up at you with a mixture of fear, embarrassment and concern. Your shoulders droop. “Sorry. I’ve just had a bit of a frustrating morning.” You run your fingers through your hair. “Did you want to come in?”

He hesitates. “I’m sorry. I won’t snap again, I promise.” With that assurance, he ducks inside.

“So...what happened?”

You sigh and sit him on the couch. “You’ll want to be sitting for this.” You tell him, and he looks at you with even more concern than before. You tell him all about Q-Bae and Volks and Kelby. When you’re done, he looks pale.

“Gosh. That’s...wow. I really don’t know what to say.”

“I know it’s...a lot to take in.”

He reaches over and takes your hand. “So...you really don’t want to be with Volks or Kelby?”

You want to ask him if that’s _really_ the thing he’s going to fixate on, after everything you told him, but you promised you wouldn’t snap again, and it feels too good having him in your vicinity, especially after everything that’s happened, to jeopardise that by getting angry. So instead, you lean into him and pull his arm over your shoulder. “Really. Besides, I think they like each other better than they like me. Which is fine. I just want them to be happy.”

He squeezes you closer. “I...I’m really glad.” He takes a moment to just breathe, and you close your eyes, loving the feeling of his chest rising and falling under your cheek. “I came around wanting to ask if...if you’d go for another boat ride with me. On the river. But maybe we should stay inside?”

“Well, you actually came by on a good day, because I have a free schedule. So, we could go down to the store, get a tub or five of ice cream, curl up on the couch watching movies and then, later in the evening, we could go down to the water and take a boat then. How does that sound?”

He takes your hand in his and kisses it. “Really good.”

 

As the hours tick by, you watch movie after movie after movie. For the first one, you potter around doing the dishes and washing, but then Nimh convinces you to leave it for later, telling you that you’ve been working hard enough.

Then, he holds you and dozes on the couch, a smile on his face. When you’ve tired of watching him sleep, you wake him with kisses, and you finally dig into the ice cream you’d bought. Well, Nimh’s is frozen yoghurt, which you make faces at until you’re both laughing so hard you can barely breathe.

Finally, you rest against each other for the final ten minutes of your third movie, fingers entwined.

“Do you still want to go for that boat ride?” Nimh asks you quietly.

“Do you?”

“I mean, yeah, if you want to.”

“Then let’s go.” You say. You get dressed in warm clothes and let Nimh borrow one of your jackets. He rugs up in it as you step over the threshold.

“Ooh, it’s cold.” He says, teeth already chattering.

You take his hand. “Then let me warm you up.”

You walk to the bus stop together, then ride down to the boardwalk. You discover that all the boats are currently in use, but one’s due back in an hour. You have your names written down, and you give them your number. They promise to text you when the other couple get back.

“Want to get something to eat while we wait?”

“Sure.” He leads you down the pier to a restaurant. It’s Italian, with quaint touches such as chequered table cloths and flowers in small vases. “I’ve been here before. With friends from school.”

“That’s right. You grew up around here, didn’t you?”

“Yeah. I know a lot of good places around.” He rests his chin on his hand and smiles softly at you. “So, are you having a good day?”

“Yeah. I really am, Nimh. Thank you. I...don’t know what I would have done today if you hadn’t come around.”

His eyes take on a perplexed, curious gleam. “Say, you said that that fairy, Q-Bae, she clones you?”

“Yeah?”

“Well...how?”

You shrug. “I have no idea. I...I’m beyond questions. I just need to meet all the boys, get them to fall in love with someone, then leave it all alone and do my best to forget.”

He looks away, sad. “Oh.”

“I...I didn’t mean...not you, Nimh. I don’t want to forget you.”

“It’s okay. I get it. You’d rather forget this whole thing, start over. Maybe even move. I don’t know. Maybe I-”

“Nimh.” You say, gripping his hand in yours. You’re going to say something else, but the waiter comes back with your food.

Nimh swallows and disengages from you, eating his food with little enthusiasm. You follow suit, trying not to cry. How could it have gone this badly? It had all been working so well until you’d opened your stupid mouth and-

Your phone rings just as you’re finishing up, and you’re saved the embarrassment of crying in a crowded restaurant. When you look into Nimh’s eyes, you see a glistening sheen, and you realise just how close he was to crying as well.

“It’s time to go. Unless...do you want to just go home?”

He swallows, shaking his head. “No. Let’s go.”

“Okay.”

When you leave, you don’t grab his hand like you want to. You wait for him to initiate contact. When he does, it’s like your world returns to a colour image. You lean against him and breathe his scent.

“Nimh and (Y/N)?” The boat master asks as you step up to him.

“Yeah, that’s us.”

“Boat’s at the dock. Have a nice ride.”

“Thanks.”

You get in without rocking the boat too much and start paddling. When you’re out on the river proper, you only have to make minor corrections, so you’re free to hold hands.

“Is that…?” Nimh says, about half an hour in. “Kelby?”

“What? Where?”

Nimh points, and you look over to see Volks and, yes, Kelby, in another boat. They’re too absorbed with each other to notice you, but you feel your heart squeeze in your chest with something like pride, or maybe just pure joy. As you watch, Kelby slides closer to Volks on the bench in the centre of the boat and rests his head on Volks’ shoulder.

“Aren’t they so cute?”

Nimh’s hand tightens in your own. “Yeah, they are.”

You look up into his face, and simply cannot resist him. You share deep, slow kisses with each other. He tilts his head to deepen the kisses, slipping in just the tiniest bit of tongue, but before you can really get into it, your time is up and you have to make your way back to the pier.

Nimh helps you out of the boat, and you walk to the bus stop, hand-in hand. “You can stay over, you know?”

“I really have to go home.” He says sadly. “Sorry, this is me.” With one final kiss, he leaves you standing in the cold, watching him go.

You take your own bus home and lie in bed, thinking about everything that’s happened, and find that you don’t actually regret a single second of what’s happened. You met someone truly special, and you helped two dorks to find their way to each other.

You smile. Was it really such a bad thing that you handed out that cursed water?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so you all know what's going on, the next chapter isn't going to be as long because it's just going to be a chapter on everything that went down between Kelby and Volks before they went on the boat ride and during. So get ready for that coming in a few days.
> 
> Thank you again to everyone who read the first chapter and left kudos and comments. I am so excited for this story, so it shouldn't take too much longer for the next couple to come out. Hope you're all having a good day, and I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter :)


	3. Day 10 - Volks and Kelby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is completely optional for the rest of the story, but it does give more information on Volks' and Kelby's backstories and where they come from, as well as developing their relationship a bit more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for all the love. Let me know if you enjoyed this, because I'm planning on giving you similar updates for other boys as well as more Volks and Kelby stuff (like when they have sex or character development moments), but only if you want them.

Volks wakes to his alarm clock’s screeches. He rolls over and slaps it until it turns off, then rolls back and stares at the ceiling. A week and a half ago, he would have been springing out of bed and going down to the gym in his basement, piece of toast in hand, to work on his weights schedule. Then, he’d go for a run around his house three times before stripping naked and swimming six laps of his pool.

With his morning work out done, he would come back upstairs and take a shower, then come down for some real breakfast before driving to the studio, where he would pose for whatever student artists Nimh had dug up from the local universities. Nimh would then hand him his morning coffee and tell him where they were going for the day, sliding into the seat opposite him and tapping away at his laptop or scribbling in his notebook. It seemed he had a new one each day.

Volks closes his eyes and imagines what today’s would be. Probably a light blue with polka-dots. Or maybe an ice-cream parlour pink with barber stripes. He sighs and closes his eyes again. He misses that – the business of his life, having Nimh there to help him through the day, teasing him when things went even minutely wrong. It was always funny watching Nimh go into a panic if the cupcakes were iced the wrong colour or the coffee he ordered didn’t have the proper amount of vanilla syrup Volks liked. Of course, sometimes he would say it tasted off just for entertainment.

He snorts to himself and gets out of bed. He can’t be bothered with the running and the swimming, but maybe he’ll work out. If he can stop thinking about Kelby.

It’s strange that he’s so caught up on him, because he’s exactly the type of person he’d be introduced to at one of his parties. He groans just thinking about them. They’re the one part of being a model he doesn’t miss. But they’re important; they connect you to fans and prospective clients – he can hear Nimh saying it now. But Volks hated being surrounded by people he didn’t know, in his home, touching things he worked hard to keep clean, pulling things off shelves and invading his personal life. People getting drunk and vomiting or passing out. Having sex in his room, in the bathroom, in the kitchen, on the couch.

He shivers. The worst part is the people who do drugs, though. They get high; smoke meth or snort cocaine, and start going crazy. He hates it. He even had to call an ambulance once because someone overdosed. He never did find out what happened to him.

Usually during one of his parties, he would take someone to a random room and have sex with them, just to keep his mind off what was happening to his beautiful house. Whoever it was, man or woman, old or young, he would feel nothing as he thrust into them, would come to despise their pornographic moans and cries of ‘yes’. As soon as they were both done, he would send them out, and then curl into a ball, wishing for it all to be over.

And then he’d do it all again next Saturday.

When Volks comes back to himself, he realises he’s been standing in the middle of his living room for the last half hour. He sighs and abandons all plans of continuing like it’s a normal day. There’s no way he can stop thinking about Kelby, or the life he once had. He wonders if it'll ever be the same again, and is only mildly surprised to find that he'd actually rather it didn't go back to how it was.

He gets into his car with plans to drive around town to clear his head, but before he even knows what he’s doing, his shoes are crunching on sand, and he’s walking towards the lifeguard tower, weaving through the hundreds of people already on the beach.

He feels a tap on his shoulder, and turns to see Kelby. His heart lightens immediately, and a smile spreads to his face.

“Kelby.”

“Hi, Volks.” He says, sounding slightly sheepish.

“Not on lifeguard duty?”

“No. Not today.”

“So...if you don’t mind me asking...why are you here?”

“Honestly?” He says, blushing. “I...I was kind of hoping to find you here. Why did you come?”

“The same reason.” They look at each other for a long moment. “Did you...want to do something? I mean, we could go out for lunch or...coffee?”

“I don’t really drink coffee, but lunch sounds nice.”

They walk together down the beach to one of the vegan restaurants Kelby knows. “I never knew there were so many.” Volks comments as they enter the restaurant, looking for a free table.

“Heh. Yeah. There weren’t really all that many, but since tourism kicked up, a lot more started coming around, so the market opened up and...boom, more vegan restaurants.”

“Wow.” Volks says quietly.

Kelby smiles. “Are you even listening to what I’m saying?”

“What? Yes. I mean, no.” Volks sighs and shakes his head. “Sorry. I...this is gonna sound crazy, but I couldn’t stop thinking about you this morning.”

“I...couldn’t stop thinking about you either. I went to go for my usual run, but I couldn’t concentrate. Which is a new experience for me. Before, all I cared about was sports.”

“I kinda get how you feel.” Volks says as they sit at a table. “So...I want to know more. About you.”

“And I want to know more about you.” Kelby sighs. “But you asked first.” He pauses, gathering his thoughts. “Alright, well, I grew up in Australia, but my parents wanted me to be part of _big_ sports teams. So they moved us here, to America. It was strange, at first. Everyone expected me to be a certain way. You know, stupid, girl-crazy and irresponsible. I told them that, in Australia, no one can get away with the stuff they do here. But when I came out, it caused ripples. People couldn’t believe it. I got kicked off of teams because they worried what I’d do to the other players when we were in the showers. As if their players had never touched someone without their permission.” He rolls his eyes, but then shrugs.

“They thought they were doing the right thing, but of course it meant that I wasn’t playing sports. Then, I started running. Just running and running and running until I was fast enough to run track competitively. No team to kick you out when you run on your own. Then I stared swimming until I got so good, I was put up for national competitions. After that, I guess I just...kept going. I became a life saver. I got even better at swimming and running...and that's about it. What about you?”

“I grew up in Russia. The first six years of my life, at least. When I started modelling, though, there were just so many jobs here, we moved permanently. I barely even went to school, I was at so many shoots. They put me in advertisements on TV after taking my pictures. Don’t get me wrong, I loved it. All of it. Until, when I turned eighteen, I was expected to host these wild parties. ‘Get myself out there.’” He sighs. “No one cared that I wasn't technically of legal age. People could have sex with me, so I was supposed to...I don't know...sell myself in that way, too. That was when people stopped liking me for me. They all clamoured to be invited, to get near me, and then, when they’d gotten what they’d wanted, they would leave. Either back to their friends – their real friends – or up the ladder to even more famous people. So I made myself abrasive. To warn people off. But they kept coming. So I got meaner. It just attracted a different crowd. In the end, I was so far away from who I am that...I ended up being someone else entirely.”

“Did you...ever find yourself again?”

“It kinda started when I met (Y/N), but...not really until I...I met you. This...how I am now, it’s what I was like, before I built my defences. I just...I feel like I don’t have to worry about that when I’m with you.”

Kelby’s cheeks colour. “I’m glad.”

“Me too.”

The waiter comes and takes their order. Volks, feeling adventurous, chooses zucchini pasta, while Kelby gets a plate of vegetable kebabs.

“So, what was Russia like?”

“I don’t actually remember all that much, but the winters were...real winters. With snow and blizzards and...and fires and warmth and heavy clothes. It was nice. But I think...maybe...it’s good I left.”

“Why’s that?”

“Do you read the news? About Russia?”

“No.”

Volks swallows. “They kill people like me. People who...” He fidgets with his water glass, spilling some on the table. Kelby hastens to help him clean it up with some napkins. Volks chews on his lip instead, until the silence has stretched out beyond awkward. “Sometimes I think about what my life would have been like, if we hadn’t left. I...there wouldn’t have been any way for me to hide.”

Kelby’s wingtips brush against Volks’ leg. “It’s alright. You’re not there. And I’m glad for that. You don’t have to worry about hiding who you are just to...actually, I suppose you did anyway, didn’t you? Hide who you were just so you could survive...”

“I guess I did.” They just look at each other for a long moment. Volks wants to reach over and kiss him and, unbeknown to him, Kelby is thinking the same thing.

Their meals descend between them, breaking the moment.

Volks swallows and looks down. “This looks...interesting. I’ve never actually had pasta that’s...not pasta before.”

“It _is_ really good. It’s best when you don’t cut it, just twirl it on your fork and slurp it.”

Volks does as Kelby suggests. He takes too much, and it hangs out of his mouth while he chews, making them both laugh. Volks covers his mouth with his hand, blushing.

“Sorry. That wasn’t exactly elegant.”

“I really don’t care whether you’re _elegant_ or not, Volks.” He tugs at Volks’ arm until he relents, letting him see the mess he’s made of his face, then reaches over and cleans him up. “There you go.”

“Thanks.” Volks mumbles, cheeks bright red. “So...anyway…do you...what do you do in your spare time?”

“Well, I don’t really get a lot of it, but when I do, I like playing video games. I mean, I like swimming and running for fun, but I would normally be doing those things anyway. Other that that? I guess I read books sometimes...what about you?”

“Video games are really fun, but I like curling up with my laptop and writing things when I get the chance.”

“Writing? What do you write about?”

Volks gets impossibly redder. “It...it’s embarrassing...”

“No. Come on, tell me.”

“Well...” He bites his lip. “You can’t tell anyone, alright?”

“Okay, I promise.”

Volks takes a deep breath. “It’s about a girl who lives in Russia and becomes a ballet dancer. She’s doing well, until she gets onto the big stage in the national ballet. Then, she starts falling for one of her fellow dancers – a girl. It’s...about the fear she has, about her passion for dance and her fighting what she’s been taught about...people like her.” His cheeks flush again, and he hides his face in the crook of his shoulder. “It’s stupid. I’ll...probably no one’ll ever publish it.”

“It doesn’t sound stupid. I think it sounds great. I’d...I’d love to read it sometime.”

“It’s...far from finished.”

“I’m happy to wait.”

As they look at each other, Volks gets the feeling they’ve been talking about more than just his work of fiction, but he’s so not used to communicating with another person like this that he has a hard time reading the subtext.

Suddenly, he becomes painfully aware of how long it’s been since he talked to a family member.

He startles when Kelby’s feathers brush his cheek. “Sorry, you just...looked kind of far away. I wanted to check you’re okay. If you have somewhere else to be-”

“I don’t. There’s nowhere I want to be other than right here. I just...was remembering something I have to do. You...you don’t have anywhere you need to be, do you?”

“No. Not today.”

“That’s good.” A short pause, then, “do you want to come back to my place? The thing I...have to do, it...it can’t really wait, but...it won’t take long. We could play some games after?”

Kelby smiles. “I’d like that.”

“Um...how did you get to the beach this morning? I mean, we could...take my car?”

“Sure. And I came with my friend, who’s also a lifeguard. He’s usually my go-to ride, but maybe that can change…?”

Volks blushes again, all too aware of what that suggests. “If you’d want me to...”

Kelby just smiles at him. “So...are you finished?”

“Oh. Yeah, you?”

“Yeah. Come on, let’s go.”

 

“This place is...huge. Do you really use all this space?” Kelby says as he gets out of the car.

“Wait ‘till you get a tour.” Volks replies, locking the doors and unlocking the house. “Welcome to my humble abode.”

“Humble? Is there a house bigger?”

“I’ve seen bigger houses, trust me; for a model, this really _is_ humble.”

Kelby’s beak won’t shut. Volks laughs. “Come on. Let me show you.” He leads Kelby inside and shows him his gaming set-up.

“Wow! You have all the consoles? And they each go to a separate TV? How much money do you _make_ , exactly?”

Volks shakes his head. “Too much. But this isn’t the room you’ll like the most.” He makes a suggestive face. “Follow me to the basement. If you dare.”

Kelby does, and gasps in wonder at the gleaming gym equipment. “Wow! This...this is like a dream come true.”

“You can come use it any time, when we get you back to being human. Or at least, most of the way, like I am.”

“This is amazing. Are you sure?”

“Yeah, of course. Besides, any chance I get to see you more often works for me.” He flips the light off. “Come on, I’ve still got a lot more house to show you.”

After the tour, Volks sits Kelby down and hands him the remotes to each TV in order. “If you’re having trouble, I should be back in like, twenty minutes, but I’m sure you can figure something out.”

“Alright.” He says, but he sounds completely blown away.

Volks smiles at him as he leaves, sliding his phone from his pocket. His thumb hovers over his mothers’ number for a few seconds before he finally presses it. The phone rings a few times before she picks up.

“Hello?” Her voice, still thick with the Russian accent, reminds Volks of home, and suddenly, he wants to be there, in her arms.

“Hi, mama.” He says, almost breathless.

“Volks! My baby! How are you?” He hears something clatter in the background and hopes she hasn’t destroyed her kitchen in her excitement.

“I’m...I’m doing alright, mama. How are you?”

“All the better for having heard your voice, my love.”

“I miss you.”

“Oh, I miss you too, baby. You have to come and visit soon.”

“I will, I promise. I...I can’t talk for long, but...I want you to know...I’ve met someone. Someone special. Mama, I really think he’s...he’s the one.”

“How can you tell?” She asks, but it sounds like she already knows.

“You know all those fairy tales, where when you see them, you feel light-headed and like...you can’t breathe until you’re with them, talking to them, and...when they’re with you, everything’s okay?”

“You feel like that about him?”

“Yeah. Honestly, it’s kind of silly. I’ve only known him two days, but I feel like I’ve known him my whole life.”

“Oh, baby. I’m so happy for you.” Something starts screeching in the distance on her end of the line. “Oh! That’s the cake! I have to go, baby, but don’t let it be another six months before you call again!”

“Alright, mama.” She hangs up before he can say ‘I love you’.

He comes back into the living room. “So, what did you find to play?”

 

The sun is setting when they finish up their last game of Mario Cart. They had ordered organic vegan pizza for dinner, the empty box lying open on the floor in front of them. Volks turns to Kelby, smiling uncontrollably. “Did you want to go down to the river? I heard it’s really nice to be on the water at night.”

“I’d love to.”

Volks drives them down, and they rent the last boat they have available for three hours.

“Are you sure? That’s a long time...”

“Did you...need to be anywhere?” Volks asks, suddenly panicking.

“No. I just...I didn’t think you’d want to spend so long...never mind.”

“Kelby...”

“Yeah?”

“I wouldn’t mind spending a hundred hours on the water with you. I’ve really enjoyed today. Spending time with you...I haven’t felt like myself in so long, but today, I haven’t felt like anyone else.” It doesn't feel like the right words, so he tries again. “Today is the first day in a long time that...I didn’t feel the need to hide myself.” He shakes his head. “None of this is coming out how I want it to.”

“How about we get in the boat and we can work on it together?”

“I’d like that.”

Kelby smiles and steps into the boat on steady legs. “Well, your chariot awaits...”

Volks climbs in much less gracefully and grabs a hold of the oars, pulling away from the dock and getting them started on drifting downriver. When they’re going, he pulls the oars in and lets the current carry them where it wants.

He reaches down, forgetting that Kelby’s a chicken, and tries to hold his hand. His fingers close around feathers. “I can’t wait until you’re human again. I bet you’re really handsome.”

He can’t see Kelby blush in the darkness. “I’m...really not. I...I mean, I’m good looking, but not...I’m nowhere near as handsome as you.”

“I'm sure that's not true, Kelby. If you're anywhere near as handsome as you are good company, you're drop-dead gorgeous.”

Kelby blushes again, but doesn't contradict him.

There’s a companionable silence that lasts a good five minutes. “You know, I’m actually not ready to be...not a chicken. It’s weird, but I kind of like the feathers. I mean, sure, opening doors is a nightmare, and eating anything other than lettuce is honestly a chore, but..." He takes a deep breath, looking out over the water, maviong his wing so that his feathers are resting over Volks' leg. “If what’s going to change me back is a kiss, well, I’d want to know that I...that I wanted to be with that person for a long time. It’s...not that I don’t like you, because I do. I really, really do, but...we’ve only known each other two days.”

“I get it. It’s alright. We’ll take this slow if that’s what you want. I just want to...I’m happy just being next to you, no matter how that happens.”

Kelby shuffles closer and rests his head on Volks’ shoulder. “I’m sure we’ll keep spending time together. I know I certainly want to.”

Volks doesn't say anything, but he wholeheartedly agrees. They spend the next three hours chatting and laughing with each other. When they come back to the pier, though, Volks still isn’t quite ready to let Kelby go.

“I know it’s...getting kinda late, but did you...want to go to the fair? It’s not all that far from here...”

“Volks...I should really...get home.”

Volks tries his best to not look too disappointed. “Yeah. Of course.”

“I _should_. But what the hell? Let’s go. But only an hour. I have to get up tomorrow for lifeguard duty.”

“Well, I don’t want you to fall asleep-”

“Volks, let’s just go. I’m not ready for this to end either.”

So they drive over to the fair and spend some time just walking around together. Kelby throws some sandbags at some cans and knocks them down, choosing a giant plushy alligator to take home, and Volks goes fishing for magnetic fish and wins a very fluffy rabbit.

“Do you want to finish up with a ride on the Ferris wheel and some vegan ice cream? I saw a stall for some just back there.”

“Alright. But then I have to go home.”

“Okay.”

They get their ice creams and are let onto the wheel almost immediately – it’s late and the park is emptying quickly. As they're ascending, Volks tries to hold Kelby’s hand, but comes back with only feathers again. Kelby laughs.

“Close your eyes.” He says, smiling broadly.

“Why?”

“Just close them.”

Volks sighs, but does as he’s asked. “Okay. Now what?”

“Fit your hands together.”

Volks does as instructed. “I feel weird doing this.”

“That’s alright. Just imagine that your right hand is mine.”

“You’re sitting on my left.”

“Yeah, but if we were holding hands, my right hand would be in your left. So, forget all the sensations you can usually feel in your right hand, and transfer all your attention to your left. Feel how my fingers press against yours. How my thumb rubs against your skin gently. How our palms touch. How warm my hand is against yours.” He leans closer, resting his head on Volks’ shoulder again. “Can you feel me?”

Volks takes a deep breath in. “Yes. I can feel you.”

“Any time you want to feel me holding your hand, do that. Even if I’m not next to you, I will be in that moment.”

“You’re really quite the romantic, aren’t you?”

“You’re the one who keeps wanting to hold my hand.”

“Whatever.” Volks’ eyes open, and not long after, the ride ends.

Volks drives Kelby home, idling out the front of his house long after he should have gone. Kelby lingers too, in the front seat of his car. Finally, he reaches over and opens the car door. “I’ll see you tomorrow for our run with (Y/N).” Kelby says, only half committed to leaving. “And...I had a really good time today.”

“Me too.” There’s a long, pregnant pause, then they both burst out laughing. “Gosh, I haven’t felt this jittery since high school.”

“Same.” He takes a deep breath and steps out fully. “I’ll see you.”

“Yeah.”

After another long moment, Kelby closes the door. Volks stays to watch him get to his front door safely, then watches him turn and wave. The door closes, and lights come on. Volks scolds himself for waiting around like some stalker and forces himself to drive home.

As soon as he gets there, he practically dances with joy. He shakes with it. He rubs his face with his hands and laughs.

“Oh. What the hell have I gotten myself into?” He laments, but he doesn't mean it. He doesn't think he's ever been this happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, hope you all enjoyed that little bit of character development.  
> Next chapter is back to scheduled programming, but be warned that it might take a while, since I want to keep the chapters to five days each and I've got some real life stuff happening in the near future. (Woo for getting stuff done)


	4. Day 11-15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finally here! I'm so sorry it took so long - I was having trouble making a few of the days cooperate with me, but we're over the hurdles, and the next chapter shouldn't take _too_ long to get up this time, since I have a pretty clear plan.  
> Side note: I was asked if there's going to be polyamory, and the answer is yes, just...not yet, and not with 'you'. I want to keep this fic a solely Nimh on 'you', but I'm working on a few other fictions that will have you, the reader, an a polygamous relationship with Eli.  
> I hope you all enjoy this, because I'm really liking where this is going, and I know you will too.  
> Also; this chapter is _really_ long, so I hope you enjoy that, too.

Day 11

 

After your wonderful night with Nimh, doing anything else seems like it will break the spell, and you want to spend the day in bed, but you remind yourself that you should probably actually physically go to one of your jobs at some point, so you get dressed and head back to Mrs B’s Repairs and Embroidery.

When you get there, she’s all smiles and praise. “You’ve been doing such a good job, (Y/N)! I’m going to give you another raise! We’ve had so many happy customers, we’ve become one of the most popular places, and all thanks to you!”

You blush and thank her, even though the pay is still ridiculously low. Even so, you sit down and get to work, sewing names and flowers into pieces of cloth faster than even you would have thought possible. As it turns out, Mrs B is now paying you on a commission basis, so each embroidery you finish adds to your steadily growing wealth.

 _Magic,_ you think with a shake of your head, _needs to calm down a little while I catch up._

Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like you’re going to get your wish; even as you work, your hands get even faster, stitching so fast you can barely see them.

After only a few hours, you need a break, and so you leave the shop and start walking down to the beach. On your way there, you see Volks, who is sitting with Kelby on a bench.

“Hey, guys. How’s it all going?”

“Really well, (Y/N). How about you?”

You shrug, not really having all that much to report. They make room for you, and you sit down next to them. “So, how’s the relationship going?”

Volks and Kelby blush furiously. “Re-relationship? What do you mean?”

“Nimh and I went out last night, down to the boats. We saw you.” You raise your eyebrows at them and smirk. “ _So..._ give me all the details...”

“There...isn’t really anything to say. We just...I don’t know. There was a connection. A real, strong one, and...we both came back down to the beach in the hopes of seeing each other again and, well, we did. We went for lunch, then we went back to my place for a bit. I had some stuff I needed to take care of. And then we went down to the pier.”

“And nothing happened? Come on, that’s like...the best first date ever. Surely there was a smooch?”

Volks’ ears flush red. “ _No_ , there wasn’t any... _smooching_. We just...had a nice night.”

You smile at them gently. “Alright. Well, I’m glad. Um...did you mind if I...skip the run tonight? There’s another karaoke event on tonight, and I want to blow Nimh away with my singing on Sunday.”

“That’s totally cool.” Kelby says, finally joining the conversation. He nudges Volks. “We can go watch that movie you wanted to see, then.”

“Yeah.” Volks says, blushing.

“I’m really gad you’re getting on. But, um...before I go, I wanted to tell you something.” They turn to look at you with expectant looks, and you feel your voice get stuck in your throat. You clear it and take a deep breath. “It...there’s a chance that it’ll have to be me who breaks the curse. I’m not sure, but...I just want you to both be ready for that possibility.”

“I figured as much.” Volks huffs, crossing his arms. “If that _is_ the case, I guess we’ll figure that out when we get there. But we really _do_ want to take this slow. So...you know...”

“Yeah, that’s fine. Just...um...let me know when you do kiss what the outcome is, okay?”

“Yeah, sure.”

You bid them a good day and leave, still with a few hours before the karaoke event starts.

 

Fidgeting nervously, you watch as the third person of the night picks up the microphone and starts singing their hearts out, their song of choice ‘I Want It That Way’ by the Backstreet Boys.

You’re not sure why you’re no nervous, when you were perfectly confident last time, but you can’t deny that you are. So, you go to the bar and order two drinks, downing one while you’re still standing there, taking the other back to your seat and sipping at it.

As soon as it’s gone, you stand and make your way onto the stage. You pick ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, and start singing. Halfway through, someone hops up onto the stage beside you, already drunk enough to declare ‘I love this song!” before picking up the other microphone and belting it out alongside you.

He absolutely smashes it, though, so you don’t mind finishing the song with him.

“You wanna get a drink, sweetheart?” He asks as you set the microphones aside and leave the stage.

“Sure,” you say, always ready to meet new people. It’s not until you’re sitting down with him that you realise he’s a Pegasus. “Uh...were you...always like this?” You ask tentatively, not wanting to offend him. “You know...wings and hoofs and everything?”

“No. Funny story – this actually happened last week when I went to the zoo.”

“The...the zoo?”

“Yeah. Pretty crazy, right? I just took a sip of water from this bottle and... _poof!_ I was a Pegasus. It’s not all bad, though. I have this massive-”

“Eli!” Someone calls from the other side of the room, making their way through the crowd slowly. “There you are! I lost you after that last song.” The young man has black hair that’s held in a high bun, and piercing blue eyes. “Who’s this?”

“I hadn’t actually gotten around to asking yet.” He turns back to you. “Care to introduce yourself, gorgeous?”

You do so, still unsure how to bring up that you’re the reason Eli is a mystical creature. “And who are you two?”

“I’m Eli.” The Pegasus boy says, smiling invitingly. “And this is one of my partners, Jay.”

“One of?”

“Yeah, I’m in a polygamous relationship with another few people. In fact, I think you’d be hard pressed to find someone here I _haven’t_ slept with. Isn’t that right, sweetheart?”

“I suppose so. Is anyone really keeping track of your sexual conquests?” He says dispassionately, waving down the bartender and ordering another round of drinks for the party.

Eli chuckles and kisses his cheek. “Jay’s not really into all my sleeping around, but he knows a good thing when he sees it.”

Jay rolls his eyes, but there’s a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth. “Which makes it even more spectacular that I put up with you.” He teases, and Eli laughs again, his manner easy.

You feel something stir in your chest, and you wonder why it doesn’t feel like that with Nimh. You desperately want your relationship with the bunny boy to last, but you’re totally inexperienced.

“I...would you be able to give me some relationship advice?” You ask tentatively, making them both look at you with amused expressions.

Eli’s the first to break. “Sure thing, honey. Ask away.” He sips at his cocktail - a disgusting-looking amalgamation of fruity alcohols and flavourings that goes from red to purple to blue and smells like a luxury soap store.

“So, I recently...passed out cursed water while I was working at the zoo, turning a few very attractive young men into animals, both mythical and not, and one of them...I really like him. I just want the relationship to really flourish, but it’s my first, so I’m not sure how.”

It takes a while for the information to sink in, but before Eli can say anything, Jay butts in. “Just tell him how you feel. I know it sounds like obvious and cheesy advice, but it really works. If he wants it to last as well, you’ll both work hard through anything that comes up. Eli and I haven’t been together long enough for that rule to apply, but I’ve had boyfriends in the past, and the thing that really makes it work is communication. If you’re having a problem, talk about it before it explodes.”

“So just...tell him I think about him all the time and get butterflies in my stomach when I see him?”

“Yeah, basically. If you really feel that way.”

“Okay, I’ll definitely keep that in mind. Thanks.”

“No pr-”

“Wait a second, are we really going to gloss over the fact that this is the person who _turned me into a Pegasus_?” Eli explodes.

Jay just shrugs. “Not really my problem, babe. Besides...I don’t see it.”

“What?”

“I mean, I went along with it because I love you, but you know you’re not _actually_ a Pegasus, right? Did you hit your head or something?” He turns his gaze to you. “And I have no idea why _you’re_ indulging him. You don’t even know him.”

“I...it seemed like a good idea at the time.” You say quickly, then turn to Eli. “I have to head off, but would you want to meet up somewhere tomorrow? You seem pretty cool, and I’d love to get to know you more.”

You hope he gets the hidden message.

“Sure thing. Let me give you my number.”

After he spits a string of numbers that you quickly key into your phone, you bid them a good night and leave them, stepping on a bus and going home.

 

Day 12

 

As you wake up, you remember, vaguely, a conversation from last night that can’t possibly be real. You open your phone, just in case, and stare at the new number in your contacts.

Eli.

A Pegasus. An actual Pegasus. You want to call out for Q-Bae and ask her _what that fuck_ , but you don’t have time. It’s almost midday already – a result of the alcohol and late night – and you need to talk to Eli more openly about what happened with the curse.

You message him, asking him to meet you down at the park in an hours’ time, then get dressed hastily.

 

You see him coming as soon as he enters the park; it’s kind of hard to miss a huge horse with wings protruding from his back, mane a rainbow of colours.

He finds you seemingly as easily, and you realise he must have picked up your scent, whether consciously or not.

“So...do you really believe me about being a Pegasus?”

“Yes. But the thing is...no one else can see it. For some reason, only the people involved can see us as we truly are.”

“So you were cursed, too?”

You sigh. “Of a sort, I guess. I accidentally handed out the bottles, so now I have to sort out this mess. That’s all.”

“You didn’t have to get turned back from an animal, then?”

“No.” You take a deep breath and lean forward, placing your elbows on your knees. “Honestly, though, I kind of wish I had been. Being wooed would be a lot easier than having to find and turn all the boys back.”

“Wooed?”

“Oh, yeah, I didn’t tell you that bit yet. None of us are quite sure how, but romance has something to do with turning you all back. I’ve already told you about Nihm; we’ve progressed as far as ‘mostly-human, just with rabbit ears’, but there’s also Volks, who’s at the ‘mostly-human, just with wolf ears and a tail’ phase, and Kelby, who’s still, unfortunately, a chicken.”

“Well, I have to say that I’m happy with my animal. A Pegasus is _much_ cooler than a rabbit or even a wolf.” He sits back, looking very strange to your eyes.  _A sitting horse. Who thought I'd see the day?_ “So how did you get them to that phase?”

“By kissing them. But there’s more to it than that, I think. It only worked when we’d established a connection. And we’re currently trying out a theory. The theory is that it doesn’t have to be _me_ who kisses them, and I have to say that I’m very much hoping that it turns out that it doesn’t. And not just because Volks and Kelby are quickly falling for each other, or that I’m quickly falling for Nimh.”

“What about Jay?”

“What about him?”

“I like him, but me kissing him didn’t change me back.”

“Yeah, but maybe it’s different. I mean, with Nimh, the attraction was almost immediate. The same for Volks and Kelby. I think you need to _feel_ it, right from the second your eyes meet. Like...love at first sight or something. But it’s just a theory.”

He purses his lips, then takes a sip of his bright pink drink. “How close are you to finding out if your theory is correct?”

“I’m not sure, to be honest. But I’ve stopped hanging out with both Volks and Kelby so that they can get on with it, in a manner of speaking. They went to a movie last night, but they both want to take it slow. I think it might be Kelby’s first real relationship.”

Eli rolls his eyes. “Ugh. Boring. You should push them to action. If they really like each other, it’ll work!”

“No. Eli, this is special. For the both of them. I’m content to let it play out naturally. Or...as naturally as it _can be_ , given that one of them is a chicken and the other has a wolf’s tail.”

Eli just shrugs and takes another long slurp from his drink. “Whatever. But _I’d_ like to know.”

 _I’m sure you would_ , you think, utterly unimpressed with his behaviour. You’re starting to see why his relationships haven’t been long-lasting.

_No, don’t do that. Remember how it was with Volks. You didn’t like him at first either. And you don’t know anything about Eli’s past relationships._

You zone back into what Eli’s talking about, which seems to be how cute the two girls walking past your bench are. Suitably disciplined, you smile at Eli and agree, despite having barely looked at them.

“Did you want to people watch with me at the mall?” You ask suddenly, stopping a stream of words that you barely know the definitions of. “I need to get some stuff.”

“Uh...yeah, sure! I love shopping!” He says, recovering quickly. “What do you need?”

 

Three hours later, you feel as though you’ve made good progress on a friendship with Eli, and are carrying several bags of shopping with you. Eli bought you an outfit, saying that it looked ‘ _absolutely adorable’_ on you, insisting that it was his treat. You bought Nimh a pair of woollen gloves, remembering how he said how much he loved holding your hand when his was a fuzzy paw. You bought Volks a pair of socks, knowing how much he likes those from your time together earlier.

Lastly, you bought Kelby a bunch of plants, because you overheard him talking about how much he loves gardening when he was first talking to Volks.

You asked Eli if he wanted anything, but he insisted that he was fine. Even so, you saw his eyes lingering longingly on a laser pointer, drawn to it as if he were a cat. You decide to come back and buy it for him later.

“Well,” Eli says as you stand waiting for your bus, “this was really fun, but I should be going now. Have a good day, darling.” He kisses your cheek, then trots off down the sidewalk.

 

When you get home, you feel thoroughly worn out, but you still take the time to water the plants and package your gifts. As you do, you watch a show on Netflix, continuing even after you're done until you feel your eyelids droop.

Yawning, you rub your eyes and make your way to bed, brushing your teeth along the way and getting changed into your pyjamas.

Finally, your head hits the pillow, and you sigh happily into the silky feeling of your clean sheets, wrapping them around you. As you drift off, your mind wanders to Nimh, wondering what he’s doing right then, whether he’s feeling lonely, whether he’s sleeping okay. You wish for him to be there with you, wrapping you in his arms, and you know that Jay’s advice has to be relevant, because you’ve never felt like this about anyone before, and you know that you want to spend the rest of the foreseeable future with him.

It’s with these thoughts in your head that you drift off to sleep, a smile on your face.

 

Day 13

 

Your alarm goes off and, as you try to remember why you’d set it, you blearily look for your phone and turn it off. Slowly, you remember your promise to Nimh to help him at the RSPCA shelter today.

Groaning, you get out of bed and get dressed. By the time you’re ready, Nimh is standing by the door, looking dashing as always in a knitted sweater and cotton trousers.

“Ready to go?” He asks you with a big, sweet smile, and you feel your heart melt just a little bit.

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

The bus ride over is uneventful, but you feel like it should be treasured forever; you’re holding his hand, just chatting about whatever comes to mind. You tell him about how you met Eli, and he tells you about this book series he’s started reading. It feels like the time is too short.

When you enter the RSPCA shelter, the woman behind the counter beams at you. Or, more accurately, at Nimh. “Hi!” She says cheerfully. “How’s it going?”

Nimh flushes as he’s addressed directly. “Uh...we’re here for the volunteer rotation.”

“Oh, sure, come this way.”

She leads you through to the back room, where she walks you through the process of taking care of the animals, including the more uncommon animals such as snakes and owls that they get when they’re injured.

“So, are we all on the same page with that?” She asks after you’re done going through the introduction.

Nimh looks to you, and you nod, so he agrees.

“Nice! Oh! I’m April, by the way. It’s good to meet you.” She says this to Nimh, looking him directly in the eye, as if you don’t exist. “Come on through when you’ve washed your hands.”

“It seems you have an admirer.” You say as you squirt soap into your hands, making Nimh blush furiously.

“I...it certainly seems that way. What do you think I should do about it?”

“Let her catch us making out back here?”

His cheeks go crimson, a feat you’ve seen him pull off before. It’s honestly endearing. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Surely you’ve had to let people down before? Just...do whatever you’ve done in the past.”

Still blushing, he admits that he’s never done anything like this before. “I don’t know. I guess I was just always too busy to notice. Like...I would notice that people _liked_ me, but I was too busy to pursue anyone. I guess they all just noticed eventually that it would never happen.”

You blink at him in surprise. “So...no one ever came up to you and asked you on a date?”

“Uh...maybe?”

“Oh. I see. Well, the only way to get her to know that you’re not interested is to tell her. But...while we’re no the topic of telling people how we-”

You don’t get to finish your sentence, because April is back, carrying an injured bat in her hands. “This little guy was rescued just last night. He had a tear in his wing from hitting a powerline. Unfortunately, he’ll never be able to fly again, so we need to make sure he gets accustomed to this place and us. Come and say hi.”

 

Four hours later, you both walk out of the shelter feeling exhausted. Even so, you agree to go and have lunch together.

“What were you trying to say earlier?” Nimh asks halfway through the meal.

“Um...sorry, when?”

“You said something about...telling people how we feel.”

“Oh. Right, that.” You feel your cheeks heat. “Well, Nimh, I...I’ve been thinking and...Volks and Kelby are really getting on, and – and if they can change themselves back...well, each other back...you wouldn’t...none of this is on me, right? So...we could probably find you someone else to...to change you back. If you wanted.”

Nimh looks sad. “Oh. Is...that what you want?”

“No. I really enjoy spending time with you, Nimh. But...if you want to spend your time with someone else...”

“I don’t. I want to spend my time with you.”

You breathe a sigh of relief. “Oh. That’s...um...I’m glad.”

He reaches across the table and takes hold of your hand. “Don’t scare me like that. I thought you were...I thought...”

“I’m sorry. I just...I had to make sure that we felt the same way about each other. Because I really like you, Nimh. I...I think about you all the time, and when we’re not together, I wish we were.”

“I feel the same way.”

You really want to kiss him, but reaching over the table to do that doesn’t seem like a good idea, so you just settle for smiling shyly at him from where you sit. It solidifies itself as a good idea when Nimh follows suit.

It’s not long after that you’re parting ways, though, as you need to get down to the beach.

As you’re parting, you give him a hug, but he doesn’t seem to want to let go, and if you’re being honest, neither do you. The beating of his heart against your ear is a rhythm you could hear for the rest of your life. The steady rise and fall of his chest is the best thing you’ve ever felt.

“Nimh...I have to go.”

“I know. Just...a few more seconds.”

You’re quieted, closing your eyes and inhaling his scent, warm and fresh like apples. In that moment, you want to tell him you love him, but it feels too soon, especially since you haven’t even talked about him being your boyfriend. Although...was that conversation you just had the one about being a couple? You sigh, lamenting the fact that this is all so much more complicated than you had hoped it would be.

Finally, he lets you go, and you wave him goodbye as you step onto the bus.

 

“There you are! We were talking about going without you.”

“Yeah, sorry; I spent the day with Nimh and...well, I didn’t want to leave him.”

Volks and Kelby share a knowing look, and you wonder what happened on their date to the movies the other night. Although you’re curious, it’s not your place to ask, so you just take off your shoes and start warming up.

“That’s alright.” Kelby says finally. “We’ll just take a bit of a shorter run this time around. You both ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” Volks says, right before he takes off.

Kelby laughs heartily as he follows suit, leaving you to bring up the rear. It’s not long before Kelby’s way out in front, you’re in second, and Volks is panting in last.

“Seriously,” he says when you’re all back at Kelby’s towel, “how are you both so _fast_?”

“Well, I’m a chicken.” Kelby says. “We’re well-known for being fast.”

“And I have magic on my side.” You say apologetically. “And speaking of magic, I met another one of the boys on Wednesday night.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. He’s a Pegasus now. His name’s Eli.”

“Wait, a _Pegasus_? For real?”

“Mmhmm. Apparently, it didn’t have to be a _real_ animal they turned into. Although, who knows, maybe the fairies have Pegasuses running around in their world.”

“Fairies?”

“Did I not tell you?”

They both look confused, so you tell them about Q-Bae and the council of fairy elders who showed up on Tuesday morning.

“ _Fairies?”_ Volks asks, still hung up on that small detail.

“That’s the part that’s boggling your brain? Not that they’re from a different dimension, or that they _magically turned you into a wolf?”_

“Well, all that is shocking too, but... _fairies?”_

“Maybe, by the end of everything, we’ll have met Puff the Magic Dragon. Look, I’ve kind of gotten to terms with it, and have stopped asking questions. But now you know that they have no idea how to get you all back to human form, we can all be angry at them as a unit.”

“Yeah...”

There’s an uncomfortable silence, and you realise that you’ve been harsher than you meant to be with Volks. “Sorry. I’m just...so frustrated with everything that’s been going on. I have no answers, and everything that happens seems to just leave me with more questions.”

“It’s fine.”

Another silence, but this time, it’s Kelby who breaks it. “Hey, Volks, tell (her/him/them) about that party of yours.”

“Oh, yeah. I meant to invite you the other day, but I forgot! I’m having a party tomorrow night at my place. You know, trying to get back into the swing of being a model and all that, but...um...if you and Nimh wanted to come along as well... Hey, maybe you could also invite that new guy, Eli, so we can all meet him.”

“That sounds like a really good idea. I’ll let them both know tomorrow. What time does it start at?”

Volks blinks in surprise, clearly not expecting the question. “Start? Uh...they never really had starting times, but I guess people started to show up around...five-ish? Six?”

“We’ll be there at eight.”

“Okay, cool. We’ll see you then.”

“ _We?_ Did something happen the other night that I should know about?”

Volks flushes. “No. I mean, Kelby stayed the night because-”

“Oh my God, Volks! I told you to _call me_ if anything happened! How could you not _call me_? This is a major development! Did you sleep in the same bed? Did you _cuddle_?”

Now both Kelby and Volks are red. “No, nothing like that. He slept in one of my spare rooms. We just were so tired, and I didn’t feel comfortable driving.”

“Ah, you two are no fun.” You say laughing. “Well, alright. I’ll see you then.”

You make your way home, leaving them to their own business, feeling good. You get into bed with a smile on your face, looking forward to tomorrow, sending Volks a silent thanks for ensuring that it'll be interesting.

 

Day 14

 

You wake with the sun and go for a run, loving the feeling of cool morning air in your lungs, your heart soaring with hope. If everything works out with Volks and Kelby, that means you only have to act matchmaker, leaving your relationship with Nimh unencumbered and free to flourish. You’ve almost forgotten that there’s even a possibility of it going wrong, because it feels so _right_ for them to be together.

After your run, you call Eli, deciding to tell him about the party first.

“Hey, sister!” He says cheerfully. “Someone’s up early, but I guess that counts for the both of us, right? What can I do you for?”

Later, you’ll probably ask yourself how he managed to answer his phone, but you pay that no mind as you tell him about the party.

“Ooh! I _love_ parties. Just tell me where it is, and I’ll be there, sweetheart!”

You give him the address of Volks’ house and tell him to be there at eight, then hang up and call Nimh.

“Hi!” He says, sounding out of breath. “I’m so glad you called! Would you mind terribly helping me with something?”

“Uh, sure. What do you need help with?”

“You remember Casey from karaoke?”

“Yeah, of course.”

“Well, she’s moving. We were _going_ to get help from Jess and Jason, but Tony took them to see their mother last minute. Apparently she’s having a breakdown or something. Now, we’re trying to move everything out of here before the new tenants show up, because Casey is an absolute mess and left everything to the last minute.”

“Of course I’ll come help. Just tell me where you are, and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

 

The apartment Casey is moving out of is tiny – barely big enough for one person, but somehow, she’s managed to get five people in in a steady stream, moving the boxes of her stuff. She enters the door just as you arrive, panting and sweating profusely.

“Oh! (Y/N), thank you so much for coming.” She pulls you into a very brief, very damp hug. “I am so sorry about all this. I was supposed to be moving out ages ago, but...well, you don’t need to know all of my dramas. I hope you don’t mind, but could you pick up that stack of boxes just behind you and bring them down? My car’s out the front – it’s the red one.”

“Sure.” You pick up the boxes and go down the stairs, spotting her car immediately. Nimh is out there, pushing boxes around in the boot, trying to fit as many things as he can into the available space. He must hear your footsteps, because he starts talking as you get close.

“How do you even have so much stuff in there? Is your front door like the wardrobe that leads to Narnia – endless space past the point of entry?”

“I’m not sure, but it sure does seem like it, doesn’t it?” You say, leaning against the car, your arms still full of boxes.

“Oh.” He ducks out of the boot and smiles at you, blushing. “Sorry, I thought you were Casey.” He leans over and kisses your cheek. “I know it’s not exactly the most romantic of activities, but I’m glad you’re here.”

“It’s fine, Nimh. I’m glad I’m here too.” You feel the boxes slipping as you get sweaty hands. “But, um...these are kind of heavy, so...”

“Oh! Of course! Here, let me help you with those!” He liberates you of the boxes and sets them in the boot, perching them precariously on the very edge and holding them there with his hip.

You give him a proper kiss. “So...how much more do you think is in there?”

“Honestly, who knows? She’s been living here for almost two years now. I don’t think even _she_ knows everything that’s in there.”

Casey comes down the steps then with her own armful of boxes. “Are you two slacking off down here?”

“No. Just saying hi.” You give Nimh another kiss and go back upstairs to collect more boxes.

 

When you’re done, Casey’s car is stuffed full, no room for anything but the boxes and her. “I’ll see you guys at the other apartment!” She yells from her window as she starts driving down the street. “Thanks for all your help!”

You wave her goodbye and walk to the nearest bus stop, a few things that wouldn’t fit in the car cradled in your arms. “So, have a good morning?” You ask Nimh as you walk.

“Ah, it was alright. We were all kind of upset when we learned that Jess and Jason couldn’t help out, but other than that, it’s been pretty fun. But you should see Casey’s new place; it’s a lot bigger, thankfully, but she’s been given strict instructions from Ebony that she’s not to fill it with even more stuff.”

“Casey’s a hoarder?” You ask, somewhat surprised despite what you’ve just seen.

“Yeah. But it kinda comes from her dad. He would just keep everything, even if it was rotting and...well, you know...it was pretty sad to see. There had to be an intervention, and that was...horrible. I know Casey knows it’s not good, but she has a mini freak-out whenever someone even suggests getting rid of any of it.”

You long to reach out and hold his hand, but your arms are still full of stuff, so you satisfy the urge for contact with a bump of your hip. “Couldn’t have been easy to be with her during that.”

“No. It wasn’t. Anyway, um...you called me this morning and I interrupted before you’d told me why you called. I’m sorry if you had something else planned. Oh, you didn’t have anything else planned, did you?”

“No, not for this morning, but tonight, Volks is having a party at his place. It starts at eight – or, that’s when I told him we’d be arriving – and Eli’s coming, too. I wanted to see if you wanted to come as well.”

“Of course. I’d love to. I just hope this gets finished in time.”

“I’m sure it will.”

The bus ride doesn’t take as long as you had been expecting, and it’s not more than fifteen minutes later that you’re stepping off in the heart of the city. Nimh leads you through the winding streets to a cute little apartment complex, complete with balconies and wide windows.

“This place seems really nice.”

Casey opens the door and props it open. “It is. Wait until you see inside. Come on up.” She leads you up three flights of stairs to apartment number six, swinging the door open. “And here it is. Six-slash-thirteen Ivory street.”

“Wow. How much do you pay for this place?”

“It’s a little expensive – a hundred and fifty a month – but at least it’s better than that closet I was in before.” She takes the boxes from you and puts them in what appears to be the bedroom.

“Casey,” Nimh says, following her, “we have somewhere to be at seven-ish, so we’re going to have to head off around then, but we’ll help you as much as we can before then.

“Oh, sure. Thanks for all your help. Those other guys who were helping before are probably coming back soon anyway.”

You hear Nimh say “not likely” under his breath, with a shake of his head. You have to agree with him. After Casey had left, Nimh had taken them aside and asked them if they knew Casey had a girlfriend. After showing them a picture, they’d gotten lost quickly.

 

Four hours later, you’ve surprisingly gotten everything into the new apartment, still with an hour to spare, despite the absence of extra help. “Well, we should probably head off anyway, Casey. We’ll see you tomorrow for karaoke.”

“Yeah, see you.”

As you leave, you slip your hand into Nimh’s and squeeze softly. “I’ve got something for you. For when we get back to my place.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, just a little gift. I was shopping the other day with Eli, and I got them then.”

“So you’re not going to tell me what it is?”

“Nope. You’re just going to have to wait and see.”

“Hmm. I’m not so big on surprises, but I’m sure I’ll like this one.” He says as you step on the bus. There aren’t many people, but you opt to stand anyway, curling your arms around Nimh's waist and kissing his collar bone. His arms wrap around you, too, holding you close as the bus sways and dips with the road.

When you get back, you hand Nimh the gift and watch with a small smile as he opens it.

“Wow! These are so cute!” He slips the gloves on, then takes your hand in his. “I love them. Thank you.”

You feel your cheeks heat. “I just remember you telling me how much you liked holding my hand with your furry paws, and...well...I liked holding your furry paws, too.”

“I’m glad. I’ll keep these in my pockets so if I’m with you, I can just slip them on.” He does just that. “So...um...should I go home and get something on for this? I’m not exactly dressed in partying clothes.”

“No, I’m sure you can find something to wear in my closet.” You lead him to your room and start looking through your clothes. “Here, try this on.” You say, shoving a few coat hangers into his hands. You hear him changing behind you as you continue to search for something to wear yourself.

“Um...I’m not sure this is really my...style...” Nimh says uncomfortably, and you turn to look.

He looks _good_ , a tight t-shirt clinging to his torso, over which is an open, cut-off jacket. His legs are squeezed into a pair of black skinny jeans.

“What’s wrong with it?” You ask innocently.

“You can see... _everything_.”

“That’s kind of the point, Nimh. And it’s _hot_.” You step closer and run your fingers through his hair, mussing it up a little. “There. A bit of bad-boy attitude. And I know it’s not really your thing, but sometimes, putting on a persona can be fun. But if you’re really not feeling it, we can try something else?”

“Please.”

“Okay, but there’s a price for that.”

“A...a price?”

“Gotta take your shirt off while I’m watching.”

His face flushes, but he doesn’t hesitate as he reaches for the hem of the shirt, forgetting about the jacket entirely. You stop him, chuckling, and take the jacket off for him. After it’s slipped from his body, you reach up and kiss him, trailing your hands down to his hips and take the hem of the shirt in your fingers, tugging lightly.

“It’s alright if you don’t want me to do this. I can turn my back if you want.”

“No. It’s fine. I _am_ your boyfriend after all, right?”

“Yeah.”

Moving the fabric out of the way, your fingers make contact with the skin of his stomach, sliding up, over his abs, up to his chest. “Arms up.” You whisper into his neck, kissing it gently. He does as he’s bid, and you take the shirt off, your chests now touching. His hands come back down to rest on your shoulders, pulling you into another kiss.

Throwing the shirt into a corner of the room, you step even closer, forcing him back until he’s lying on your bed.

“Don’t we...have to go?” He asks breathlessly as your lips trail kisses over his chest and stomach.

“We do, but we’ve still got over an hour. Besides...” You kiss over his navel, then smile up at him. “We can be fashionably late.”

He has no further protests as you open the fly of his skinny jeans and push them off his legs, and you take the time to admire the hair on his legs, which is the same lovely colour as his hair. He also has a smattering of it over his pecs and his navel, leading down to the treasure lying before you.

“You’re so...handsome.” You say, smiling at him. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

“Yeah. I wouldn’t have anyone else be my first.” He opens his arms and waits for you to come back up to his lips and kiss him again.

“Well...this is my first time, too.” You say, your cheeks heating. “But that’s alright. We’ll teach each other.”

You begin kissing again, arms snaking around each other’s waists, getting sweaty as you get more aroused. Finally, you trail your hands down to Nimh’s sex, stroking at the most sensitive parts, carefully opening yourself up before taking him inside you, riding him until you’ve both finished.

Afterwards, you lie in his arms, feeling happy in the afterglow. “That...was amazing.” He whispers, and you look up into his smiling face.

It’s a few seconds before you realise that, at some point during making love, his ears and tail have disappeared. “It sure was.” Is all you say, feeling too good to worry yourself about the curse. “Come on, we should have a shower and get ready to go to that party.”

 

You arrive, Nimh in a comfortable button-down shirt and jeans, you in a stylish black coat and boots, under which are a pair of black jeans and a black t-shirt.

You tangle your fingers with Nimh’s and lead him through the party, looking for the telltale red comb of Kelby. When you find it, you sidle up to Volks, wrapping your arms around his waist, giving him a surprise hug.

“Hey guys.” Nimh says, looking slightly flushed, as if he thinks everyone can tell he just had sex.

“Hi, Nimh.” Kelby says, then does a double-take. “Is...you don’t have ears anymore.”

“I don’t?” Nimh says, panicking slightly, reaching up and feeling around for them. He looks at you. “What happened?”

“They disappeared after we had sex.” You look at Kelby and Volks with a wide grin. “Great news, right?”

Surprisingly, they don’t look too happy about it.

“What’s wrong?”

“We...we kissed before anyone turned up, and...nothing happened. It has to be you.”

You feel your good mood shatter. “What?” You breathe. “No. Did...did you try again?”

“No. We...felt too badly about it to...” Volks swallows, looking just as upset as you feel.

“Well...maybe you just have to...to try again. Please. You owe it to each other to at least _try_.” You lower your voice to a whisper. “Please.”

Valks takes a deep breath and starts to shake his head, but Kelby places the tips of his feathers on his back. “(She/he/they) are right. Let’s try again.”

“Alright. Is that Pegasus guy here yet?”

As if on cue, Eli bursts through the door. “Heey!” He yells, drawing a few looks, but he pays them no mind, striding forward and asking to be pointed in the direction of ‘the gorgeous host’. It takes him almost no time to find you. “Hi, lovely people.” His eyes lock onto Volks. “And aren’t you just a tall drink of water? What’s your name, sweetheart?”

Kelby wraps a protective arm around his waist. “His name’s Volks. And I’m Kelby. This is my – well, we haven’t talked about what we are yet, but he’s _mine_.”

Everyone blinks at Kelby in surprise. “Kelby? Where did _that_ come from?” Volks asks, and Kelby blushes furiously.

“Sorry, I’m not usually so...I don’t know what came over me.”

“Maybe it’s the magic thing again?” You look back to Volks, knowing you’re grasping at straws, but you can’t help it. “Please, just _try_ kissing again. But _believe_ it’ll work. It _has_ to.”

“Alright. Follow me.”

He leads you all into an empty side room. Taking a deep breath, he turns to Kelby. Slowly, awkwardly, he leans in and pecks his beak. Nothing happens. You close your eyes and _wish_ with all your heart...and hear everyone gasp.

“It worked!” Kelby says, then makes a strangled noise in the back of his throat. “Why did it have to make me _naked_?”

Eli makes an appreciative noise before Volks grabs the blanket from the bed in the room and wraps it around Kelby’s shoulders, glaring at Eli the whole while. As you all leave the room upon Kelby’s request, Volks whispers in your ear.

“I don’t like him.”

“We just have to deal with him until we’ve found him someone to fall in love with. It’ll happen soon, I promise. It’ll happen like it did with you and Kelby, like it happened with Nimh and I. He’ll see someone and-”

“He’s already making out with someone.” Volks says in a deadpan voice.

“What?” Your head whips around until you’re staring at Eli with his 'arms' wrapped around a twenty-something young woman, who seems _very_ pleased with her situation.

“Well, then.” You say. “I guess that takes care of that.”

Nimh squeezes your hand. “But if that’s the case, why hasn’t he changed back yet?”

You swallow as it hits you just how hard this is going to be. “Oh no.”

“Oh no indeed.” Kelby says from behind you, and you all turn to look at him. You take a moment to get a good look at him. His is one of the faces you distinctly remember from the zoo that day; his platinum grey hair had seemed so out of place above his young face, his smile wide and friendly. You now realise his eyes are a wonderful shade of amber, streaked with brown. “Can you _get_ any more promiscuous?”

You all turn back to look at Eli, who is now kissing a young man who looks equally as happy as Eli's previous partner. The girl is looking on with a huge grin, clearly thinking she’s got the score of the night, but neither Eli nor the man attached to him are paying her any attention whatsoever.

“Well that’s a sight.”

“Yeah.”

You turn back to face the group. “Anyone want a drink?”

 

Two hours later, you’re watching Eli making out with two very attractive young men, both barely older than eighteen.

“How many is that now?” Kelby asks, taking a sip of his drink, arm wrapped around Volks’ shoulders.

“Sixteen.” Nimh says, sounding in awe.

You shake your head. “Nineteen. You forgot to count those two at the start, _and_ he was kissing someone in the kitchen when I went back to refill our drinks.”

“Does he plan on kissing everyone until one of them turns out to be the one he’s looking for?”

“Who knows? I kind of got the impression he’s like this all the time, curse or not.”

“That’s insane.” Volks says as he watches him ditch the two boys, who just continue kissing each other, and move on to a group of three young men and women, kissing each of them in turn, leaving them all somewhat shocked. “Not even _I_ kissed _everyone_ at a party.”

Elin struts over to another couple who are already making out and inserts himself. “Do you think he’ll ever stop?”

“Maybe.”

You turn to look at Volks. “Everyone here is legal, right? Like, for sex stuff?”

“Yeah, should be, but I don’t really...keep track of that.”

“What are we gonna do if he kisses someone too young?” You ask, genuinely worried.

“I don’t think there’s anything we _can_ do. Should we...stop him now? Before something bad happens?”

You sigh and stand up. “Alright, I’ll do it.” You approach Eli, who is still with the couple who had already been kissing when he joined them. “Eli,”

“Mm.”

“You need to stop.”

He pulls himself away with a reluctant groan. When he turns back to face you, he rolls his eyes. “You’ve basically proven I could possibly fix this tonight, and don’t think I didn’t notice that your crush is without those ears you told me about. I’m guessing you had sex?” At your blush, he tosses his head and huffs. “Right, so all I need to do is find the person who changes me back to mostly-human-form, and I’ll be already naked, so...problem solved, and then I can get back to having as much sex as I want.”

“Eli, really, this isn’t the way to go about this. With Nimh and I...we felt something for each other _before_ we’d kissed. With Volks and Kelby, it was an immediate attraction. I told you that before. You can’t just go around kissing people until one of them changes you back.”

He narrows his eyes at you. “Watch me.”

He storm off and goes over to another small group of people, kissing them all in turn. You slump your shoulders and make your way back to Kelby and the others. “This is going to be a _lot_ harder than I thought.” You say with a sigh.

“Right, that’s it.” Volks says and stands. When Kelby starts to stand beside him, he shakes his head. “No, this is my house, and I’m going to get him _out_ of it.”

You all watch as he goes over to Eli, and they start to have a heated conversation.

“Do you think we should help?” Nimh asks nervously as he watches Eli and Volks start to get louder and more animated.

“Not yet.” Kelby says, like he knows something you don’t.

“Tyler!” Volks’ voice cuts through the crowd, and a heavy-set man pushes his way to Volks’ side. “Would you be so kind as to escort Eli here off the premises, please?”

“Of course.” The man says, gripping Eli’s upper arm and half-dragging, half-leading him out of the house.

Volks sighs and makes his way back to the couches you’re all on. “Well, that didn’t go as well as it could have.”

The party is back in full swing by the time Volks sits back down and wraps his arms around Kelby’s waist.

“So...who’s Tyler?” You ask.

“Head of security for tonight. Of course I hired security. I always do. It just means that if things get really out of hand – or if someone overdoses – we can get it dealt with quickly and with as little fuss as possible. I think this is only the third time I’ve had to call on them, but it’s always good to have them here.”

Nimh blinks at him. “Wow, Volks. I never knew you were so...”

“Responsible?” Volks suggests, and laughs when Nimh flushes. “It’s alright – you can say it. I was a total brat to you when you were my assistant. Why would that change now? I understand that me being responsible might knock your socks off.”

“Oh! That reminds me, I went shopping the other day and got you two something.” You say, reaching down into your bag and bringing out the two gifts, handing one to Kelby, the other to Volks.

They both blush and look down at the boxes in their hands. “You really didn’t have to.”

“That’s alright; I wanted to. Go on, I’m excited to see what you think!”

Volks opens his first and pulls out a pair of socks that have little caricatures of running wolves on them, interspersed with tiny blue stars and hearts. “Oh wow. They’re so cute! I am definitely _not_ re-gifting these.” He says with a huge smile, tucking them back into the packaging.

Kelby opens his next, and gasps when he sees the tiny pots. One is a cactus, another is mint, and the last is lavender. “This...you...how did you _know_?” He asks in awe.

“You told Volks how much you like gardening on the day you met, remember?” You say, flushing at admitting just how closely you were listening.

“Wow. Thank you so much. These...I’ll plant these as soon as I get home.” He comes over and gives you a hug. Then, he turns to Volks. “You’re gonna have to step up your boyfriend game.”

Setting aside his socks, Volks stands and wraps his arms around Kelby’s newly human waist. “Oh? We’re boyfriends now, are we?” He asks teasingly, laughing when Kelby goes red and sputters out excuses. “Come on. Dance with me. We deserve to have some fun tonight, don’t we? We’ve achieved one of those goals, and if you want to...”

Kelby’s breath catches in his throat, and his eyes darken. “Oh, I want to.”

Volks smiles then, leading Kelby off to a darker, more private corner, giving you a wink as he goes.

You turn to Nimh. “So...do you want to dance as well, or would you prefer to head back?”

His eyes trail after Volks and Kelby. “Let’s dance.” He says finally, and you lead him onto the open floor, wrapping your arms around his neck as his encircle your waist.

 

When you finally make it back to your apartment, you fall in the door, kissing frantically. After many close dances, Volks suggested getting a room, but every one of his was taken, so you decided to take it back to your place. The whole bus ride, keeping your hands to yourself proved very difficult, but you both managed, but as soon as you got off, you couldn’t keep your hands off each other.

Now, as you lock your door behind you, he pushes you up against the wall and nibbles at the junction of your neck, making you gasp.

“Nimh,” you start, but your brain goes blank as he pushes up against you.

“Mm.” He sucks a hickey into your neck, then pulls back. “I think I’ve become addicted.”

“Addicted to what?” You ask absently, mind completely numb.

“To you.” He picks you up and takes you to your bedroom, where he spreads you out and starts taking off your clothes, kissing down the length of you. “You are so gorgeous.” He whispers, right above your sex, before going down and (eating you out/sucking you off).

Your hand flies into his hair, curling in his beautiful blonde locks and pulling lightly, making him moan softly. He comes back up for a second, only to ask you to pull harder.

“Are you sure...” You pant. “That was your first time?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Because...you’re _really_ good at that.”

He hums happily and replaces his mouth with his fingers, stretching you out before entering you again, rocking his hips.

“I’m glad you think so.”

You gasp his name as he hits a place inside you that makes waves of pleasure rush through you. You pull him closer by his shoulders, enjoying the feeling of his weight bearing down on you.

After you’re done, he falls to the mattress beside you, panting. “That was good.” He breathes. “Really, really good.”

You snuggle into his side. “Stay the night?”

“Wasn’t planning on leaving.” He says, closing his eyes and wrapping his arm around your shoulders. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

 

Day 15

 

You wake warmer than usual, and it takes you a moment to remember why that is. Your pillow rises and falls, and then you realise that your pillow is actually a chest – Nimh’s chest.

You close your eyes again and nuzzle into him.

“Hmm,” he says softly, his hand coming up to run through your hair. “Morning, sweetheart. You doing okay?”

“More than _okay_. I had the best night of my life. I hope you’re planning on doing that to me again.”

“That and much, _much_ more...”

“That’s a relief, because I _loved_ it.”

He chuckles, the vibrations transferring to your cheek, which is still pressed to his chest. “I’m glad.” He sighs. “How long do we have before we have to move?”

“Well, the only thing I have planned is going to karaoke with you, and today’s Sunday, so I suppose you won’t have work...”

“Oh yeah, I forgot that weekends exist.” He chuckles again. “After working with Volks for so many years, I kind of got used to working twenty-four seven.”

“That’s...honestly kind of sad.” You say, tracing patters into his naked skin. “So, lazy day in bed it is, then. Although, I should really call Eli and see how he’s doing after last night.”

“Hmm.” Nimh mumbles, seemingly not wanting to comment.

“I should do that now.” You say, reluctantly pulling yourself away from Nimh and pulling on some loose trousers. Nimh whines and snuggles deeper into the blankets. “Sorry. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

You go out into the kitchen and make two plates of toast, bringing one back to Nimh before quickly eating your own. Then, you sigh and take out your phone.

The line rings a few times before Eli picks up, sounding very annoyed.

“And what can I do for you?”

“I just wanted to see if you were doing okay. After last night-”

“Yeah, last night. Because we all had so much fun.”

“Eli, look, I don’t want to get all preachy on you or whatever, but that was really inappropriate behaviour. I’m serious. You were in another person’s home and – I don’t really want it to sound like this, but...you were acting like a whore, Eli. You need to clean up your act, because frankly, at the moment, I’m not sure I...I don’t know how to help you. If you don’t take the time to let a relationship flourish, it _won’t_. I can’t help you if you’re not going to at least try it my way first. _Before_ you go around kissing everyone you see.”

There’s a moment of stunned silence, followed by a deep chuckle in the background. “Damn, babe.” The same voice says. “I don’t think anyone’s had the balls to speak to you like that since your mother.” The voice comes closer. “Hi, what’s your name, oh voice of reason calling before noon?”

You blush, but tell the man your name.

“Hmm. Well, you’ve definitely got a good head on your shoulders. All of Eli’s partners have been trying to get him in the same mindset for almost a year now, but none of them have worked. I dare say you might just succeed where we’ve failed.”

“Really? Because he didn’t listen to me last night.”

“Ah, we’ll see. How’d you meet him anyway?”

“Karaoke last Wednesday.”

“Oh, you’d have seen him with Jay. What did you think of him?”

“He...was pretty cute, I guess. But I’m not looking to join anything. Eli and I just became friends, and I want to help him find something more...long term.”

“I see.”

“And...uh...who are you?”

He chuckles deeply. “My name’s Theo. And maybe I can help you. You free today?”

“Not really, sorry, but tomorrow works.”

“Sure thing. I’ll text you the address for Eli’s apartment and then we can get started on the whole ‘get Eli a long-term partner’ thing.”

“Sounds good. Take care of him for me until then.”

“Will do. See you tomorrow.”

You hang up and go back to bed, wrapping your arms back around Nimh, who’s started dozing again. He stirs as you get comfortable, but it isn’t long before you’re both asleep.

 

It’s almost three in the afternoon when you next wake, and Nimh is sitting at the foot of your bed, watching you sleep, a cup of tea or coffee in his hands. He’s got his new fuzzy mittens on, and he looks very cute.

“Hi, sleepyhead. Sleep well?”

“Yeah, very. You?”

“Yeah, the same as you, I expect.” He sets the mug down and crawls over you. “Did you want to...get physical again, before it goes out of style?”

You chuckle and wrap your arms around his neck, pulling him in for a kiss. “I don’t think it’ll ever go out of style if it’s with you, Nimh.”

“Hmm. We’ll see.”

 

After another romp in your bed, you have a shower and get ready for karaoke. Nimh fusses over his hair, making sure that it’s in place. You watch on in amusement.

“Are you usually so worried about how your hair looks?” You ask finally, stepping into the bathroom and dragging his hands away from his head.

“No,” he admits, “but I just...is it obvious?”

You smile at him softly. “No. It’s not obvious. But you worrying about it being obvious is obvious. Besides, if your friends know you well enough, they’ll see the change between us. Is it really that big a deal anyway?”

“I...guess not. But in all those movies-”

“Movies lie, Nimh. Not all things are like they are in movies. No one can tell, just by looking at you, whether you’ve had sex or not.”

He takes a deep breath and looks at his reflection. “I guess you’re right.”

 

Even with your assurances, as soon as Casey sees you, she wolf whistles and calls you over. “Look who’s glowing!” She says, nudging Nimh. “Did you guys have fun?”

Nimh blushes and stutters, which makes Casey laugh. Lowly, Nimh asks how she knew.

Casey shrugs. “Just took a guess, but it was a good one, though, right?” She laughs at Nimh’s expression. “But seriously, you looked so _guilty_ , what else could it be?”

Beside her, Ebony nods slowly. “Sorry, Nimh, but it’s true. That look on your face said everything.” She takes a sip of her drink. “So...what happened with you moving Casey’s stuff? Sorry I couldn’t be there, by the way. Work.”

“It’s alright. (Y/N) came to help us, so we got everything done on time. Then, we went to a party with some of (Y/N)’s friends.”

“Oh, so is _that_ where you did it?” Casey asks, smirking, ignoring Ebony elbowing her in the side.

Nimh blushes. “No, we went back to (Y/N)’s place. Not that that’s any of your business.”

“Oh, come on! How can you not tell me all the juicy details?” Casey whines. “I’ve been your best friend for five years, Nimh. Don’t you think I’ve earned the privilege to hear all about your sexcapades?”

Ebony rolls her eyes so hard you think she might have strained something. “Come on, Casey, let’s get in line to have a turn on the mic.”

They leave, and you get front row seats to Jess and Jason’s twin glares. Tony laughs at the whole situation and sits beside you.

“Don’t worry about my two little devils over there. They’re mostly harmless.” He says easily. “Congratulations, though. No one else has managed to catch Nimh, proving just how rare a prize he is.”

You flush and thank him.

“Although...if I know anything, it’s really Nimh who’s lucked out. You seem like a really nice young (man/lady/person).”

You thank him again and gaze into your glass, trying to calm yourself down before your face sets fire to itself.

Just then, Casey and Ebony take the stage, and Tony cheers them on very loudly, making you flinch. Nimh wraps his arm around you and pulls you closer while you watch the performance, his nerves having magically vanished.

After they’re done, the whole table – even Jess and Jason – cheer, and the two girlfriends take a bow.

“So...” Casey says when they get back to the table, again ignoring the pointed look she’s getting from Ebony. “Are you gonna go up on stage tonight?”

“Uh...probably, yeah.” Nimh says, seemingly just as surprised as you by the tameness of the question. “If (Y/N) wants to.”

“I’d love to take the stage with you.” You say immediately, smiling up at him in probably the most dopey, love-struck way, but you can’t bring yourself to care when he’s pressed against your side.

Your turn on stage comes and goes with you paying much attention, and before the evening is over, you’re kissing Nimh again, just as addicted to him as he claims to be addicted to be to you.

Somewhere deep in your brain, a voice whispers that you’re moving too fast, but the other, bigger part of your brain tells it that it doesn’t matter when it feels this _good_.

At the end of the night, you’re standing at the bus stop with Nimh’s gloved hands in yours, and he’s pressing soft kisses to your cold lips, his breath warming your red nose.

“I have to go.” You whisper as your bus pulls into the station, and he reluctantly lets you go. Your lips tingle where his were, longing for them to connect again, and as the distance grows, so too does your longing for him.

As soon as you get home, you call him, just to tell him you got there okay, and stay on the line for another hour, not wanting to stop hearing his voice.

 

Finally, you sigh into the mouth piece. “I...have to get up tomorrow morning.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“I...I wish you were here with me.”

“So do I. I had a really great time with you. You...make me really happy, (Y/N).”

“You make me really happy, too, Nimh.” There’s a long silence down the line, screaming what you want to say, but don’t have the confidence to. “Goodnight.” You say finally.

“Goodnight.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright! Another chapter down! Hope you all enjoyed that!  
> Sorry about the long wait - I wanted to make this chapter something I was really happy with.  
> Thank you all for reading :)


	5. Day 16-20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's finally here! Chapter 5! I'm sorry for the wait, guys, and it'll probably be another long while before the next one, but I promise they're still coming.

Day 16

 

You wake when your phone dings with a new text. It’s from Eli’s phone.

_Morning, sweetheart. Are you ready to have a chat with us about finding Eli someone to settle down with?_

You smile at your phone and type in your reply, letting him know that you’ll be there as soon as you can. As you get ready, you think back to what happened with Volks and Kelby, as well as how it felt with Nimh, trying to find the words you might use when trying to describe it to Eli. You find yourself unable to explain just how it felt – other than simply, undeniably _right_.

 

When you get to Eli’s place, there are a bunch of people milling around, who all turn to you and greet you with smiles and hugs. It takes you a few minutes, but you’re finally standing in front of a man whose voice you instantly recognise.

“Hi. Glad you could make it.” Theo says, and you take a moment to just appreciate the god standing before you. He has a massive body, with tree trunk legs, huge arms and a barrel-like chest, which is currently shirtless, but covered almost entirely with a mass of tattoos. He chuckles when you continue to stare. “Sorry, should I put a shirt on so you’re not distracted?”

Another of the clamour of people drapes an arm around his shoulders – which is only possible because Theo surprisingly short – and kisses his cheek. “Gorgeous, isn’t he?” She coos, making Theo smile. The new girl is of light brown skin tone, and has startlingly green eyes, which seem sharp as they take in your appearance. Her hair is a fiery red, her clothes simple but elegant. “You’re probably wondering why we’re all here.”

You nod, entranced by the beautiful people surrounding you.

“Well, we’re all Eli’s partners. I know there are a lot of us, but...well...we’re all trying to fix that.”

Suddenly, Eli bursts into the room. “Which will never happen, my loves!” Two of the girls are immediately all over him, clinging to his arms and kissing up and down the column of his neck – which looks rather strange to you, since he is currently a Pegasus in your eyes. “I enjoy having everyone around me! Why should I stop?”

“Eli...” Theo says, clearly trying very hard not to roll his eyes at the two young women on his arms. “Look, Eli, we all love you too, but this isn’t healthy. We all know you’re not happy.”

“I _am_ too.” Eli says angrily before visibly restraining himself and ducking his head down to kiss the blonde clinging to his left arm while the brunette on his right scowls at the exchange.

The girl, whose name you still don’t know, sidles up to you. “Some of us know him better than others. Those two -” she jerks her head at the two girls now ‘play-fighting’ with each other - “barely know him at all. Theo, Jay, Liza and I all know him really well, since we all went to university together.”

“And...sorry, but who are you?” You ask, looking her up and down again.  _Seriously, where does he find all these attractive people_ , you ask yourself.

“Oh, sorry! I’m Rose. You already know Theo, I’ve heard about your encounter with Jay, and this-” she points to a young, dark-skinned girl with a long pony tail that ends in neon pink tips- “is Liza.”

“Nice to meet you.” You say, smiling at Liza and Rose. “So...why all the other people?”

Jay pokes his head out from the kitchen. “Liza and I invited them ‘cause we thought it’d be fun.” He comes over to the couch with a can of lemon soda, completely ignoring the hungry looks that are getting sent his way. “So...what happened the other day? Not that we really care all that much, but Eli wouldn’t tell, and he was _very_ upset when he came home the other night.”

“I invited him to a party, but he was being an ass, so he got thrown out. Not much else to divulge, really.”

Liza chuckles into her hand. “Yep, that sounds like our Eli. So, what was he doing? Stripping naked in the kitchen? Singing too loud?”

“No, he was kissing every person he could touch.”

“Ah, I see.” Rose says, sounding very serious. “Well, he’s never done _that_ before.”

Jay snorts next to her, causing her to burst out in giggles. Theo is busy trying to get everyone else to leave, but some are proving more difficult than others. Then, when he finally manages it, Eli leaves with them, waving everyone goodbye like he’s a prince.

“No – you come back here, mister.” Theo commands, rolling his eyes at the exaggerated shiver Eli gives. “Oh really?” He says, crossing his massive arms over his even more massive chest. “If it’s like that...come here right now or I won’t let you cum tonight.”

Eli whinnies in frustration, pouting his lips petulantly, but Theo stands firm, and it’s Eli who eventually gives. “Alright, fine.”

As they walk over, Theo places his giant hand on Eli’s neck. If you hadn’t heard how gentle he could be, you would be genuinely terrified by the look on his face. “It wasn’t immediate.” He growls, and the shiver Eli gives this time is in no way exaggerated. “You’ll get punished for that later, _brat_.”

Eli gasps, his eyes darkening, leaning into his touch, and the apparent arousal of Jay, Rose and Liza isn’t lost on you either.

“Sit down.” Theo commands, and Eli complies, crossing his legs as he plops himself onto the carpet. “Now, I want you to answer all (Y/N)’s questions honestly. Be a good boy and you’ll get rewarded later.”

When Eli doesn’t object, he grunts and pulls over one of the dining room chairs. He then motions for you to take the lead.

“Oh, right. So...I know he’s told you all about how he thinks he’s a Pegasus, but the thing is...he actually _is_ one.” They all look at you with raised brows, and you hasten to explain. “Now, I’m not crazy. Hear me out here. Sixteen days ago, I was working at the zoo, and for some reason, we have...had...bottles of cursed water. I accidentally handed out that water, and then...well...a bunch of boys got turned into animals. Well...mostly animals. It doesn’t matter too much about that. I know what you’re going to say, and...I _know_ you can’t see it, but only the people _affected_ by the curse can see it. So when Eli looks in the mirror, he genuinely sees a Pegasus, and _I_ genuinely see a Pegasus, as do the other boys I cursed. I have no idea if the person who will turn Eli back into his human form can see him as a Pegasus yet, but if they _can_ , that’s going to make the next part very easy.”

There’s a long silence as that sinks in. Finally, Theo speaks. “So what _is_ the next step?”

“Well, in the previous cases, love has broken the curse. I fell in love with the first boy, and when we kissed, he was turned into...mostly _not_ a rabbit, and when we...uh...had sex, he was turned the whole way back.

“Volks...was a little bit of a different case. I met him after Nimh, and...uh...he didn’t like me very much at first, but when we got to know each other a little better, I kissed him too, and he turned into mostly not a wolf. But then, he met the third cursed boy I’ve encountered, and the connection was immediate and strong. On Saturday, Volks hosted a party which Eli came along to, and we tested out the theory that it didn’t have to be me who kissed the boys in order to turn them back, and it worked – thank God. So it doesn’t have to be me who kisses them, but since the only people I’ve really been interacting with so far have been cursed boys, I have no idea what will happen if someone not cursed falls in love with Eli.”

“Right, but _we’ve_ been kissing and having sex with Eli since he went to the zoo.” Liza says, raising a perfectly sculpted brow. “Why haven’t _we_ changed him back?”

“Honestly, I have no idea. I’m only slightly more knowledgeable about this than you are. I mean, maybe you just have to go on a bunch of dates with him? Maybe you just have to...make him laugh? I don’t know. It could be anything. Although...and here’s where we get a little more complicated and...weird...”

“What?” Jay prompts when you pause for an extended period of time.

Your cheeks heat and you duck your head. “There’s a list of requirements above his head. That I can see. Only me, though, because I’m the one who handed out the water, so I’m effectively the person who cursed him, but...um...yeah...”

There’s a long silence, but then Rose speaks up. “So...what does it say he wants?”

You look over and see the hovering bars and symbols. You’d started to block them out, just going with the flow and doing whatever felt right, but now that you focus on them, they jump out at you again – just as strange as seeing them the first time...somehow.

“Spend some time with him, ten thousand dollars, be outgoing and take him to dinner a few times.”

Everyone follows your gaze, squinting at the air just above Eli’s head, who has also tilted his head up to try to catch sight of the hovering list. They all turn to you, frowning in visible confusion.

“Look, I know this sounds insane, but...I swear it’s true, okay?”

“Alright, fine. Our boyfriend is a horse and we have to do something to get him back to normal. Anything else?”

“Not that I’m aware of.”

Rose sighs and sits back on the couch. “Alright, so...what are we going to do?”

“I guess you just have to trust Eli to tell you when he’s not a Pegasus anymore. Eli?” You all turn to look at him, and he shrugs.

“As long as I don’t have to settle down, I’m fine.”

This is where Liza takes the spotlight and captures everyone’s attention by clearing her throat. “Eli, we’ve been meaning to get you to sit down with us for a while. We feel as though you’ve pulled away from us. Theo, Jay, Rose and I have all been spending the same amount of time with each other, and we’ve all been...well, been _there_ for each other. Rose’s parents are moving to California. Did you even know that?” She talks over Eli’s protests. “You weren’t there for Jay’s birthday last month. My mom’s getting married next summer, and I’ve been busy running around doing organising work for that. You, on the other hand, have been running off with every hot little thing that even so much as looks at you.”

“What Liza is trying to get at-” Rose interjects- “is that we’re worried about you, Eli. We want you to be happy, and if you’re not happy with us, then maybe it would be best for you to go?”

“I _am_ happy with you. I’ve just been feeling...I don’t know...kind of restless, I guess. I want...” He hangs his head, worrying at his lower lip, then looks up and beams. “It doesn’t matter. Everything’s okay.”

Theo stands and settles himself in Eli’s lap, wrapping his arms around his neck. “Eli, baby, don’t do that. Don’t pretend that everything’s okay. I know you’re scared. You don’t want to leave us because you’re worried that something bad’s going to happen, right? Like you’ll regret it and we won’t want you back, or you’ll find yourself with no one to be with, or you’ll be lonely.”

Slowly, Eli nods.

“Right,” Theo says gently, pressing his lips to Eli’s neck, “but it’ll be alright. If you’re not feeling happy, you should do something about it. We’ll all still love you and, if in the next few months, you decide you want to be with us again, we’ll welcome you back with open arms.”

You shift uncomfortably, becoming aware of just how intimate this moment is. Eli looks like he’s almost ready to cry, Jay’s face is soft and open, Rose is clutching Liza’s hand and Theo and Eli are tangled in each other. The guilt you felt from having caused this mess surges to the forefront of your mind, making you think about how Kelby and Volks must be feeling, and you start to long for the warm, comforting embrace of Nimh.

“I...I think I should go.” You say quietly and start to move out of the apartment. Eli and Theo don’t even glance your way, but Rose gets up and shows you out.

“Thank you for coming.” She says softly. “I’ll get your number from Eli’s phone and let you know what happens. I know he can be a bit of a handful, but...I think he’ll probably need a friend who doesn’t know him...intimately after this, if you get what I mean. Would you be willing to be that for him?”

“Yeah, of course.”

“Thank you. I know I just said that, but...I mean it.” She gives you a quick peck on the lips, but it’s more friendly than anything. “I hope to see you again.”

“You too, Rose.”

 

As soon as you’re on the bus, you call Nimh.

“Hi, sorry, I’m kind of at work at the moment, but I’ve got a few minutes. What can I do for you?” His voice is rushed, his words stumbling over themselves, and it sounds like wind is rushing by the mouthpiece, as if he’s running.

“Uh...sorry to bother you then.”

The rushing stops, and then there’s the honking of a horn, and suddenly he’s off again. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be so short with you. I was just running late this morning, and now I’ve got to get the whole office’s coffees, and-”

“Nimh! Nimh, it’s okay. I promise I’m not upset. About you anyway.”

The wind stops rushing again. “You-are you okay?”

“Yeah, yeah. I just...I just came back from Eli’s place, and I...saw something I shouldn’t have. Not anything sexual, but...it was intimate. Special, like they’d all forgotten I was there. It made me miss you.”

“Aw, I miss you too.” He says softly, and it makes your heart melt.

“I love you.” It slips out without you even really realising it, but it’s out there now.

There’s a slightly shocked silence on the other end for about three seconds before he says it back, and you let your breath out in a rush. “Hey...go home. I’ll swing by after work, okay? Give you lots of snuggles.”

“That sounds amazing. I’ll run a bath.”

“Ooh, yeah. I need one of those.”

“And who says you’re invited?”

“Ah! Rude!” He exclaims, mock offended.

You giggle, feeling better already. “I’ll see you soon.”

 

When you get home, you immediately go to your bathroom and run a bath, stripping off and sinking into it with a sigh as the warm water sloshes slowly higher and higher. You turn the water off and close your eyes, letting the stress seep out through your pores.

When you hear the door opening, your eyes snap open, your body going rigid for a second before remembering that Nimh said he was coming over.

“Hey, I’m in here.” You call, and footsteps pad over to the bathroom. You smile up at him, and he leans down to kiss you.

“So, you had a bit of a rough morning, huh?” He asks softly, taking his shirt off, allowing you a wondrous view of his chest and happy trail.

You lick your lips, making him blush. “I’d rather talk about something else.”

“Sure.” He slips his trousers off, but hesitates before taking off his underwear.

“Relax, I’ve seen you naked, remember? It was the best night of your life, I seem to recall.”

Nimh smiles at you, narrowing his eyes. “I don’t remember saying that.”

“Hmm. Must have been the look on your face.”

He laughs and finally removes his underwear. You make room for him, watching him slide into the bath. As soon as he’s comfortable, you climb over him and wrap your arms around his neck and kiss him softly.

“I missed you today.”

His hands find their way to the small of your back. “I missed you too.” He pulls you down for another kiss, sighing into it. “You’re so sexy.”

You feel your face flush. “ _You’re_ so sexy.” You nuzzle into his neck, nipping at his soft flesh. “I love you.”

He squeezes your sides gently. “I love you too.”

The kisses quickly get deeper and turn to breathless moans as he thrusts up into you, the water making everything more difficult than it really has to be.

“Somehow...” You start, panting against his chest. “I imagined that would be more...sexy.”

“Yeah. Oh well. I’m sure other activities will prove to be more in line with expectations.”

You hum softly and press butterfly kisses to his throat. “Did you want to try some of those things tonight?”

He sighs and tilts his head back, giving you better access. “You’re not helping with my addiction, but...I’d love to.” With surprising strength, he stands with you still wrapped around him and sets you down on the bathroom sink, your thighs sticking slightly. He drapes a towel around your shoulders and rubs gently, drying you off as he starts kissing over your face, moving slowly down to your shoulders and chest, over your chest and then your stomach, finally ending up between your legs, wrapping his lips over your sex.

Sighing, you push your fingers into his damp hair and tilt your upper body back so you’re resting against the wall. His tongue runs over (the underside of your cock/the folds of your opening), drawing out obscene noises from your throat.

Your back arches as you reach orgasm, and he pulls back, watching you. You watch him with heavily lidded eyes as he stands back up and comes in close to kiss you again. “If you're okay, I'm not done yet.” He whispers, and you nod, wrapping your arms around his neck as he picks you up and carries you to your bedroom, where he lays you down and crawls over you, turning off the light.

 

Hours later, you watch him breathe softly as he sleeps, smiling lazily. You’ve had sex more times than you can count, and you’re now experiencing a wonderful afterglow. Just the sight of his face makes you feel better, and you wonder what Volks and Kelby are doing in that moment, hoping that it’s a similar experience to your own.

Still smiling, you lie down and snuggle up close to Nimh’s warm frame before closing your eyes and drifting off to sleep.

 

Day 17

 

You wake to an empty bed, much to your disappointment. Nimh has left a note on the kitchen counter, telling you that he’s gone off to work. Which means you have a whole day to yourself.

Just as you’re beginning to have a crisis about what you’re going to do with yourself, you get a text from Volks asking you to come over.

You hastily accept, and are on your way before you’ve even had breakfast.

 

On the way, you pick up a bagel from a takeaway store, arriving excitedly just twenty minutes later. Volks answers the door...and his tail swishes behind him, his ears twitching. You frown at it.

“What...happened?”

“Come in.” He says, making way for you.

You enter and find Kelby sitting at the breakfast bar with a bowl of muesli in front of him. He smiles at you, still with feathers adorning his head and lower back. “Morning.”

“Hi. Why are you both still...I mean, I thought...”

“I decided I wasn’t ready yet. I want my first time to be special, not rush into it.” Kelby says, patting the chair next to him, and you sit down. “So...uh...I was talking to Nimh this morning. He texted me. He said you’d seen Eli?”

“Yeah. He’s...unsurprisingly...part of a polygamous relationship. I met all of them, and they were...nice. They were talking about how Eli’s seemed unhappy, wondering if there was anything they could do for him. I mean, it was really sweet, but it felt like I shouldn’t be there. Like it was something for just them.”

Volks nods and leans on his elbows. “I get that. So how did Eli take it?”

“Not so well at first, but…well, I haven’t seen him since. I was thinking of seeing him tomorrow, though, asking how it went then. I just hope we can find someone for him to fall in love with. I get the feeling it won’t be as easy a task as it was with Nimh and you two.”

“Well, if you ever need any help, we’re here for you.” Kelby says, reaching over the counter and slipping his hand into Volks’.

You smile at the gesture as it warms your heart. “I’m so glad it’s working out for you two. I know it’s kinda too soon to say, but I think you’re really sweet together.”

Your comment makes them both blush, and they mumble their thanks. After that, there’s a lull in the conversation, and you all look for something to say. Finally, Volks breaks the silence.

“Did anyone want to play some cards?”

 

After lunch and dinner, you leave their place with a huge smile on your face. Already, it seems they know each other so well, and every interaction solidifies your belief that they were practically made for each other.

As you make your way home, you start texting Eli, organising meeting with him tomorrow to help him find someone to break the curse. After you get home, you’re too tired to do any more than text Nimh good night and get ready for bed.

 

Day 18

 

Eli knocks on your door bright and early – so early you almost regret giving him your address. You groan and answer the door still in your pyjamas, which he laughs at because they have little cats on them.

“You don’t look ready to go anywhere!” He exclaims, crowding you into the bathroom and stripping you off before shoving you into the shower. “Get clean, and then we’ll pick you an outfit for today, and then I’ll do your make-up.”

You start to protest that you don’t wear make-up, but he doesn’t allow you to finish, butting in and brandishing a bag full of high-quality cosmetics. “Come on! We don’t have all day!” He chirps, despite the fact that neither of you have anything else to do today.

Sighing, you start the flow of water and wash yourself, all while Eli rummages around in your closet and finds you an outfit to wear.

When you reemerge fresh and clean, he bundles you into a towel and starts rubbing you dry until you shove him away. “I have a _boyfriend_ ,” you say angrily, and he scoffs.

“You can almost certainly do better than _him_ , sweetheart. Not that there’s anything wrong with him – not at all. He’s quite handsome and I’m sure he’s very sweet, but...well...let’s not forget that you have that tall drink of water _Volks_ in your contact book, and – oh, don’t look at me like that! I know he’s off-limits, okay?” He pouts. “Nothing wrong with looking, is there?”

“Just behave yourself, alright?”

He sighs heavily. “Fine. Whatever.”

He allows you time to get dry and dressed in peace before shoving you onto a kitchen chair and starting on doing your make-up. Halfway through, your curiosity finally wins over your desire to be polite. “So...if you don’t mind me asking, what happened after I left the other day?”

Eli swallows and looks mildly upset. “We agreed that it would be better for everyone if we...had a bit of a break.”

Despite not really liking him or his lifestyle choices, he looks so sad you simply can’t help but feel sorry for him. “Oh. I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. It’s...probably for the best, anyway.” The sad expression stays for all of five seconds before he smiles brightly. “Besides, now I have no strings, which means I’m free to do whatever I want. Watch out world; Eli’s single!”

Your sympathy for his situation crashes and burns as quickly as a straw house, as you imagine just what _that_ might entail. “Oh no.”

He turns a devillish grin to you. “Oh _yes_ , you mean! I’m going to have a lot of fun.”

Your heart sinks. If before, he had been holding back his sexual urges, you really don’t want to know what he’s going to be like now.

Finally, he finishes and leans back, smiling to himself. “Well, take a look!” He says, turning you around and marching you to stand in front of your bathroom mirror.

As you look at your reflection, you have to admit that he’s done a good job. “Thanks, Eli.”

“Aw, no problem, Marshmallow – but I’m going to need this space for the next half hour. I need to look just as fabulous, honey!” He shoves you out of the way, already opening a container of skin-tone powder and picking up a fluffy brush. As he closes the door, he tells you to try not to touch your face.

Waiting for Eli to finish is a mini nightmare; your face itches, and your head feels somehow heavier than it ever has. Even so, you take a few pictures and send them to Nimh, who responds almost immediately in support of your new look.

 _So you’re going out with Eli today, hoping to find him someone?_ He texts.

_Yeah, but I really wish I weren’t. Something tells me that he’s going to be more difficult than anyone I’ve met before._

_Hmm...well, the best I can offer you is good luck._

_Yeah, thanks. I hope you’re having a better day than I am._

Just then, Eli opens the door and drapes himself over the door frame. “So...what’s the verdict?”

He’s got a shimmery rainbow on his top eyelid, bright pink lips and white eyeliner. It honestly looks ridiculous...because he’s a Pegasus...but if he were human, he’d probably look cute. “You look good.”

He smiles a genuine smile for a few seconds before a different one overtakes it, and he shakes out his mane. “Well of course I do – it’s _me_ we’re talking about. Come on; the lovely ladies and gentlemen won’t wait a second longer.”

 

Spending time with Eli is nowhere near as bad as you think it’s going to be. Now that he’s a little more familiar with you, you can see the real him underneath. He’s human, not some insatiable sex monster, and you actually find yourself enjoying his company.

You walk around the streets, meeting and greeting various people, but no one catches Eli’s attention, and you eventually just have to call it a day. Your feet hurt, but you feel good.

When you get home, you collapse onto the couch and call Nimh, wanting to just cuddle with him. Before long, you’re doing just that.

He leans closer and kisses your nose. “So how was your day with Eli?” He asks softly.

“Surprisingly good.” You say, smiling. “We just walked around and talked about a lot of things. He’s...more pleasant than I’d originally thought.”

“That’s good.” His cheeks flush slightly. “I actually...I got you something.”

Your eyebrows shoot up. “Oh? What?”

“Wait here a second.” He says, getting to his feet and going to where he’d put his bag. He rummages around in it for a while before finally finding what he’d been looking for.

He comes back over to you and holds out a bracelet that has a small rabbit charm. “Ebony knows someone who makes jewellery, and I asked her to ask them to make this. I was thinking we could get a wolf charm and a chicken charm. For Volks and Kelby, you know?”

“That’s really thoughtful, Nimh. I love it.” You clip the bracelet around your wrist and admire it against your skin. “Thank you.” You pull him in close for a kiss, which turns into another, then another, and another, until you’re wrapped up in each other, clothes slipping off and sweat beading on your skin.

 

Day 19

 

You wake warm, wrapped up in Nimh’s arms. He’s got one arm draped over your waist, his legs tangled with yours, and his breath is hot against your neck.

Slowly, you extract yourself from his grasp and make breakfast. When you’ve finished doing that, you start to clean your apartment and do the laundry until he wakes up and joins you.

“I was thinking we could walk around town a bit? Maybe see if we can’t find another boy I’ve transformed?”

“Sounds like a wonderful idea.” He says with a huge smile on his face. “I heard there’s an internet cafe downtown where we might find someone. We also might be able to look for someone online?”

“That's a good idea. We'll head out as soon as I'm done here.”

 

So, later, you find yourself at the internet cafe, tapping away at keys and just generally looking for anything that might help you in your quest to find all the boys.

“Damn!” You hear from across the room, and then a sigh. Then, some text pops up on your screen. _Yo stranger! Your hacking skills are dope. Tickle me impressed. Truce?_

As you start to type a message back to apologise, a furry lemur pads over to where you are and holds out his hand. You shake it.

“Tha’ was really well done!” He says, in a thick Scottish accent. “I canna believe ye beat ma best time! Even as I was tryin’ ta stop ye! Tha’ kinda hackin’ demands a celebration! Ye’ll come with me to the pub for a pint, won’t ye?”

“Of course. We’d love to.” You say, surprised you actually managed to find another boy you had transformed.

After setting up at a table in the pub, you introduce yourselves properly and explain the situation to him, after which he sits back and looks understandably annoyed.

“Ah, so it was ye who turned me like this!” He huffs and takes a gulp of his drink. “Well, I gotta say, not what I was expectin’! So tell me, what do we have to do to change me back?”

“Fall in love.”

“With ye?” He asks, taken aback.

“No...well, we’re not sure...”

“Great! So what about him?” He points to Nimh.

“He was turned into a rabbit at the same time, but we fell in love, and now he’s back to human. Volks and Kelby are still almost human, since they haven’t...had sex yet.”

“Ah see.” He says slowly, taking another sip of his beer. “So am I to assume you two are seeing each other on a permanent basis?”

“We are.”

“And you only know each other because of this curse?”

“Yeah.”

He frowns. “Seems all too convenient to me, but whatever. So...” He drains the last of his beer and asks for another. “Tell me what the game plan is.”

 

Day 20

 

You wake with a pounding headache, your phone chiming with a call. Groaning, you pick it up, only to hold it away from your face.

“Hey!” Eli says in a sing-song voice, much too loud for both the hour and your state of health. “Ah, it’s good you’ve finally picked up, hon! I know you probably don’t remember making any plans to spend time with me, and that’s because we made them while you weren’t there.” He lets out a bray of laughter that sounds something like a horse’s whinny. “Anyway, you free today?”

“Uh...I guess. What are we doing?” You ask groggily.

“I thought we could go shopping. Oh! And...uh...I think I might have met another one of those boys.”

You’re immediately more sober. “Oh?”

“Yeah, a lemur. Said his name was Anon?”

You deflate a little. “Yeah, we met him yesterday. Seems like a nice guy. Did you...feel anything? A connection?”

“Not really.”

You sigh and get out of bed, sliding out from underneath Nimh’s arm. “Ah well, we’ll keep looking.” You slip into some trousers and turn back to smile fondly at your boyfriend. “Hey, is it alright if Nimh comes, too?”

“Of course! The more the merrier, right?”

“Okay, we’ll meet at the West Mall in an hour.”

“See you then, sweet cheeks.” He says cheerfully before hanging up.

You put your phone in your pocket and climb over the mattress to where Nimh is sprawled out. You press kisses to his temple and cheek until he stirs.

“Mm. What time is it?” He asks blearily, a trail of dried drool making his chin crusty. He smacks his mouth with a frown, evidently having an unpleasant taste in his mouth. “Where are we?”

“It’s ten thirty-ish, and we’re home. Don’t know how we got here, since I think we were both too drunk to walk, but I’m glad we’re safe. How are you feeling?”

Nimh just groans and buries his face in a pillow while you rub his back. Finally, he lifts his head. “I don’t think I’ve ever been that drunk.”

“Yeah, me neither.” You curl up on his chest. “Eli’s invited us out to go shopping. I said we’d go.”

He sighs and wraps his arms around you. “Okay. Let’s get ready, then.”

 

“Hi!” Eli says as he comes over. “I’m so glad you-oh, honey, you look like a wreck. What happened?”

You feel your face heat. “We...uh...shouldn’t have tried to keep up with a Scot.”

“Oh, I see. Well, we _have_ to go and get you cleaned up. To the nearest make-up counter!” He grabs your hand and stalks off in the direction of one of the make-up shops. “Excuse me,” he starts, leaning against the counter and fluttering his eyelashes, “I need someone to make these two darlings look beautiful.”

“Of course,” the attendant says with a smile. “Come over here and I’ll get you booked in. You’re just lucky we haven’t gotten too many people booked in today.”

“Fantastic. Now, I see a very _handsome_ young man over there who requires my immediate assistance, so you two have fun!” Before you can say anything about it, he’s waving you goodbye and sashaying over to the young gentleman he’d spied while you and Nimh are led over to the make-up desks.

“So, what can I do for you two today?” The make-up artist asks, setting out her equipment.

“Uh...well, I don’t know. I don’t usually wear make-up.”

“Me neither.”

“Is this for a special event?”

“If hanging out with Eli is a special event, then yeah.”

She laughs. “Alright, then. So just something invisible, but improving?”

“I guess.”

“Okay, well, sit back and relax and I’ll take care of you.”

 

Twenty minutes later, she steps back and lets you look in the mirror. “How’s that?”

“Wow.” You look at your reflection and barely recognise the person looking back at you. “I thought you said it would be ‘invisible’?”

“Oh, I meant...it’ll blend into your face really well.”

“I can barely tell what my face was like before. Did you contour?”

“Yeah. Do you...not like it?” She asks, her face suddenly sporting a concerned expression.

“No, it’s...fine.”

“Then we’ll move on?”

“Sure...” You say absently, unable to stop looking at your reflection. Before you know what’s happened, Nimh’s make-up is done, and he’s looking at his own reflection like he doesn’t recognise himself.

“This is...incredible. Does make-up always do this?” He whispers in awe.

“Yeah, sweetheart, it does. You like?”

Nimh turns and beams at her. “Yeah. Thank you.”

“No worries. Just come over to the front desk and pay for the hour, and then you’ll be on your merry way.”

You pull out your credit card and pay the seventy dollar fee before calling Eli over, who seems very engrossed in conversation.

“I’ll see you later, darling.” He says before leaving, blowing him a kiss, and the young man flushes deeply.

“I hope you weren’t terrorising him?”

“Of course not. Let me look at you two. Oh! Gorgeous!” He turns you this way and that before moving on to Nimh. “Oh yes, you two look wonderful. I hope you have a date night planned, because if you didn’t, you do now.”

You follow him as he walks off, leading you through the mall, into different shops and trying on all kinds of clothes, occasionally making you try on some outfits too. As you shop, you take the time to look over at Nimh. The artist had put a light sandy shade on his upper eyelid, put a peachy lipstick on his lips, and a light blush on his cheeks.

He catches you looking and smiles at you. You smile back and link hands with him. “You look very handsome.” You whisper.

He flushes and returns the compliment.

“Did you...want to go on a date tonight?”

“Sure. Sounds like fun.”

You squeeze his hand as you try to think of a nice place to have dinner. You want it to be something special, something romantic.

 

After a few hours have passed, you still have no idea where to go for dinner, and so you decide to ask Eli.

“Oh, that’s easy. I’ll message Jay. He works at an upmarket restaurant in the city. He can get you a booking. If, of course, money isn’t an issue?”

“No, not at all.”

“Awesome.” He digs his phone out of the purse he has and prattles off a number which you key into your on phone.

“Thanks, Eli.”

“Making use of that wonderful look you’ve got?”

“I suppose we are.”

He shakes his mane and gives you a winning smile. “What would you ever do without me?”

You deem it appropriate not to answer that. You message Jay and ask him if he can book you a table for seven o’clock, to which he responds with a seemingly uninterested ‘sure’, but then a gush of excited words indicate that he’s had his phone stolen away by probably Rose.

_Did you find someone for Eli? Oh, are they pretty? Or handsome? Is it a girl or a boy? Is he back to normal yet? Is he happy?_

You smile and reply back with negative answers. _It’s a date for myself and Nimh. Sorry to dash your hopes._

_Oh. That’s okay. I mean, YAY! I’m so glad your relationship with your boyfriend is flourishing. How are things going with Eli?_

_They’re fine. We’ve been walking around the mall hoping that someone catches his eye. I was thinking of inviting him to karaoke with Nimh._

_Sounds like a good plan. Hope it goes well!_

_Thanks, Rose._

“Hey Nimh.”

“Hmm?”

“Would it be alright if I ask Eli along to karaoke on Sunday?”

“Sure. He seems...not as bad as I thought.”

“Yeah, I know, right?” You sigh and stand, going over to where he’s looking through dress shirts. “Eli?”

“Yes, darling?”

“Would you like to come with Nimh and I to karaoke this Sunday?”

“Oh, yes, I’d love to. It sounds like a blast! What should I wear? Oh, what do you think of this shirt?” He poses with one of the shirts draped over his torso. It’s a lilac colour, except for the collar and upturned sleeves, which are black.

“Uh...looks fine, Eli. Also, Nimh and I are going to dinner at seven, so we’ll probably head off in an hour or so.”

He seems to deflate. “Alright, darling.” He pats your shoulder. “I hope you have fun.”

“We’re not going _now_.”

“I know.” He says, forcing a smile onto his face. “Just getting ready for the separation.”

“Eli-”

“I’m fine.”

“Eli, let’s stop shopping and get a smoothie or something.”

He swallows and puts the shirt back. “I don’t like that tone. Serious conversations are never fun, darling.”

“Maybe not, but they can be healthy.”

“I don’t...” He sighs and strokes over the fabric of the shirt. “I don’t do emotions. Happy is me all the time.”

“People break when they do that.”

“Maybe.”

“Eli.”

He sighs again. “Alright.” He turns to you with a wide grin, but his eyes are wet. “Let’s go get a smoothie.” He walks towards where Nimh is and wipes his eyes. “Nimh, darling, we’re moving on!”

 

Eli clutches his smoothie like it’s a barrier between you and the only thing stopping him from having a breakdown. His knuckles have gone white.

“Eli, relax. This isn’t an interrogation, I promise.”

“Sure feels like one.” He grumbles.

You sigh and try not to rise to the bait. “Eli, please, just...tell us a bit about yourself. It doesn’t have to be the hard stuff, but we can hardly find someone for you to date if we don’t know you at all.”

He returns your sigh. “Fine. I like rainbows, I have only ever been in open relationships, I’ve had a lot of sex, and I like to focus on the positives.”

“Okay. How’s your relationship with your parents?”

He narrows his eyes. “Why does that matter?”

“Whoever you settle down with is going to want to meet them, probably. They'll at least be interested.”

He looks down at his smoothie. “It’s...fine. I don’t really know where my dad is – somewhere in Europe, I think, but mum’s around here. She stayed when he went off with Felicity.”

“I see. And what do you do for fun?”

“Most of the time, go on dates with attractive people and then have sex with them later. Not much more to it than that, honestly. I guess I play video games, but I really like karaoke.”

“That’s something to work with, I guess. Maybe you’ll find someone on Sunday?”

He shrugs and fiddles around with his straw. “Hey, it’s almost time for you to go. I’ll just head home and-”

“Eli.”

He flinches. “Yeah?”

“Thanks for sharing.”

“But I didn’t-”

“I know. But you didn’t run away, either, and that shows me that you’re at least willing to try. So thank you.”

He flushes and mumbles something before leaving. When you turn back to look at Nimh, he’s looking at you with a strange expression. “What?”

“Nothing. Just...I love you.” He says, then kisses you sweetly.

“I love you, too.”

You go home and put on more suitable clothes before heading off to have dinner.

 

“That was really nice. We should thank Eli for suggesting it.” Nimh says as you get back to your place.

“Yeah.” You sigh and look out at the empty car port. “I really need to learn how to drive. I’ve got enough money to buy like seven cars now, but I can’t drive. What's the point of that?”

“It’s okay. You’ll get there.”

“I guess. I think tomorrow I’ll drop around to see Volks and see if he can teach me how to drive.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Nimh says, wrapping his arms around you. You lean into him and give him a kiss.

“You going to stay the night?”

“Hmm...yeah, if that’s okay. I don’t have anywhere to be tomorrow.”

“Good.” You kiss him again. “Because I have something I want to do with you.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. Wanna find out what it is?”

“I would love to.”

You lead him inside and to your bedroom, trading the kisses the whole way, clothes slowly littering the floor of your apartment, until you finally are lying naked in each other’s arms, sweaty and out of breath.

“That was nice.” You say, tracing patterns on his chest. He hums softly in response. “I always love spending time with you.”

“I like spending time with you, too.” He says softly, sleepily, kissing the top of your head. He yawns. “Good night.”

You smile into his skin. “Good night.”


End file.
